The street parade we all love is returning to the Armidale Autumn Festival along with festival favourites the Breakfast with the Band, the mass pipe bands in the mall and a return to entertainment and market stalls in Civic Park in the Armidale creeklands.
Thanks to feedback collected from the community last year and the reestablishment of the community led Autumn Festival Committee the event is returning to its heritage albeit on a smaller scale over a single day on Saturday 1 April.
Mayor Sam Coupland said the success of the Autumn Festival has always been driven by a strong council and community partnership.
“We have heard so many different views about the Autumn Festival and what its future should be,” said mayor Coupland.
“We’ve listened, collected the feedback and it was pretty clear that the parade had to return as well as all the festival favourites we’ve enjoyed for many years. It has also been so heartening that we have so many community members that have been willing to join the committee or just volunteer on the day.”
Planning is well underway for the event and the return of the parade. For the parade’s reintroduction, and to allow for an anticipated smaller float participation in the parade it will commence at Central Park and make its way down Faulkner Street finishing in the Armidale creeklands. Feedback received also indicated that the parade needed to be shorter.
“With the reintroduction of any event back into the community and the short time frame between now and April it was important that the community understand the measured approach council staff have taken to bring the event back, particularly the parade,” said mayor Coupland.
“We know participation will be lower in its first year back but what we may not have in numbers will be made up with the enthusiasm and passion our community always brings to the party that is Autumn Festival. This is a celebration of our beautiful city and the diverse community that calls it home.”
Float applications are now open. So now is the time to get your community, sport, school or business group together and show off your Armidale pride. We are looking for you to help celebrate Autumn in Armidale, with a display of vibrant and energetic floats, dancers and walking groups to bring the festival alive.
The float online application form is available on the council website under the report it quick link on the home page.
Published on 31 Jan 2023