In 2016 Jacaranda Queen Candidates will experience The Jacaranda Festival differently to candidates from previous years. The new elected Jacaranda Festival Committee have approved an updated program for the Queen candidates with committee members lead by the Festival President Kristen Smith directly supervising the candidates. Changes are aimed at improving the sense of team among the Queen candidates helping them to focus less on competing against each other and to instead promote the Jacaranda Festival while establishing new friendships and networks within the community. The new program features an emphasis on group fundraising where candidates work together to produce larger, more entertaining and successful events as a group rather than multiple smaller events in competition with each other. This will also allow the committee to provide additional support and mentoring during event planning. Another notable change this year is the removal of the Holiday Princess title from the festival. In previous years crowning night has seen the crowning of the Jacaranda Queen, Jacaranda Princess and Jacaranda Holiday Princess. This year there will be an additional prize for the candidate that raises the most money but there will not be a Jacaranda Holiday Princess title awarded. Eligible Jacaranda Queen candidates shall be aged between 18 and 29 years of age at the date of the Queen Crowning ceremony, to be held Saturday 29th October, 2016. Candidates must have been a resident of the Clarence Valley for a minimum of 12 months prior to the closing date of nominations. Nomination forms are available from the Grafton Jacaranda Festival Website www.jacarandafestival.org.au If you have any queries please contact the Festival Office, 6642 3959 or email jacarandafest@bigpond.com