There’s no slowing the power of the petal, just weeks after releasing record breaking figures for 2023, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has taken GOLD at the 2023 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards for Major Festival or Event!
The awards celebrating the best of the best of Australia’s tourism operators was held in Darwin last night.
It’s a mighty win, again positioning it as the best event in the country. It is already known as the most beautiful and this year celebrates 75 floral-filled years.
Recent statistics from Tourism and Events Queensland unveiled a fresh milestone in total attendance for last year’s event, with a record-breaking figure of 417,517—an impressive 14% surge compared to the 2022 results. The attendance spike is marked by a remarkable 22% increase in the number of individuals, reaching an unprecedented 199,789 during the four-weekend program. Notably, this marks the inaugural instance where attendance surpassed the 400,000 mark. Additionally, visitor nights soared to a new pinnacle, registering a 12% upswing from 2022 and reaching an impressive 136,676.
Importantly, direct and incremental spending reached a total of $24.54 million another record for the event following last year’s then record of $22.61 million.
This year the event will run from 13 September over four floral-filled weekends to 7 October, with the theme, It’s A Party.
The 75th anniversary program will be announced on March 28.
The Floral Facts and Figures of Australia’s most beautiful event (2023)
- 417,517 in attendance, up 14% on 2022 results
- 136,676 visitor nights, up 12% on 2022 results
- $24.54 milliondirect and incremental spending
- 37.2 million petals across Council’s parks in the city and Spring Bluff
- 190,000 blooming annuals and bulbs planted in public spaces
- 81 floats and groups in the Grand Central Floral Parade
- 40 flavour makers, winemakers and brewers at the Festival of Food and Wine
- 1 Teddy Bear’s Picnic
- 2,715 times the Ferris Wheel goes around over 16 days in Queens Park
- 52 #trEATS on the regional food trail program, a new record!
- 3 Botanical Local Gins and Vodkas
- 50+ Hanging Baskets!
- 50 community events
- 75 local performances in our Heritage Bank Parkland Entertainment sessions
- 14 foodie tours
- 18 twilight tours of Laurel Bank Park
- Millions of smiles
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers – A History
Since its inception in 1949, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers has flourished and is now an iconic Queensland event. The brainchild of Essex Tait and the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, Carnival was introduced as a way for the city to use its “Garden City” reputation to promote increased economic activity following the hardships of war. On October 21, 1950, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers commenced with a street procession that stretched three miles in length. Led by a bullock team and watched by a crowd estimated to be 50,000 strong, it was a resounding success, as it has been ever since.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 2024
13 September to 7 October
tcof.com.au