News Alert |

More than 40 community groups, schools and businesses will come together to celebrate Ballarat’s diversity and spirit this Monday as part of the Power FM Begonia Parade.

Each year more than 10,000 people watch the growing number of local businesses, schools and community groups who unite for the ever-popular Begonia Parade.

One of few community parades still running, the Begonia Parade is iconic and a highlight of the Ballarat Begonia Festival.

This year’s parade begins at 11am on the final day of the Ballarat Begonia Festival – Monday 11 March. This year’s parade, which is sponsored and will be broadcast live by Power FM, will travel along Wendouree Parade between the South Gardens and North Gardens.

The 2019 awards will be presented in the following categories: Mayor’s Choice Award, Best Schools Entry, Best Community Entry, Best Business Entry, and Best Musical Entry.

This year’s entries are:

Alfredton Primary School Ballarat City Brass Band Ballarat and District Lions Clubs Ballarat and District Suicide Prevention Network Ballarat Foundation Ballarat Indian Association Ballarat Malayalee Association Ballarat Memorial Concert Band Ballarat Multicultural Council Ballarat Regional Indonesian Community Ballarat Regional Trades and Labour Council Ballarat Road Rodders Ballarat Roller Derby League Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club BMX Division BLOC Music Theatre Central Highlands Men’s Shed Chinese Australian Cultural Society of Ballarat CocoSounds Creswick Brass Band Creswick and District Motorcycle Club Eureka Group Fire Brigades Federation University Australian Pipe Band Filipino Association Australia Ballarat Freemasons Victoria Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses Gum Loong Dragron (Canadian Lead, Mount Blowhard and Sebastopol Primary Schools) Get Grubby Groovy Garbage Band/Get Grubby Early Learning Program Girl Guides Ballarat Guide Dogs Victoria Ballarat Puppy Raisers Headspace Ballarat Jayde Calisthenic Club Kryal Castle Lake Goldsmith Steam Preservation Association Lana-Rose Fashion Oak, Smash and Thorn Morris Dancers Our Lady Help of Christians PETstock Pressure Cheer and Dance Project Dance Thai-Australian Association of Ballarat and Central Highlands Victorian Goldfields Medieval Faire 

Wendouree Parade will be closed from Carlton Street to St Aidans Drive on Monday 11 March between 6.30am – 12.30pm for the Power FM Begonia Parade. Festival attendees are encouraged to park at Victoria Park and catch the free festival shuttle to view the parade and visit the festival.

The 2019 Ballarat Begonia Festival is free and will be held at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens between 9-11 March 2019.

For more information visit ballaratbegoniafestival.com or follow @BallaratBegoniaFestival on Facebook.

Quotes attributable to City of Ballarat Mayor Samantha McIntosh: “Every year it is wonderful to see so many people line Wendouree Parade in support of our local schools, businesses and community groups who come together and celebrate the people who make up our diverse city.

We are extremely proud of our community who continue to put so much time and effort into their entries, it’s a fantastic showcase of everything our wonderful city has to offer.”

Quote attributed to Radio Ballarat General Manager John Fitzgibbon: “Everyone here is super excited to be broadcasting the parade again live on 103.1 Power FM and we encourage everyone to tune in and enjoy all the fun and colour of what is one best events on the Begonia Festival calendar.”