Emma Pritchard

As Peg Mavin glances through her photo album, rich with memories of the Grafton Jacaranda Festival from the last 30 years, she’s reminded of her special connection to the annual event, and the many community contributions she has selflessly made.

A former business owner, Mrs Mavin owned and managed the highly esteemed store Clothes Pegg in Prince Street, Grafton, from the early 1980s until 2010 and would always decorate her shop window with different colours each year during the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, winning the award for best presented window on many occasions while enjoying dressing up along with her staff members and joining in with local festivities.

She has proudly sponsored close to 30 jacaranda candidates over the years with many of them going on to be crowned Jacaranda Queen and has helped to raise “hundreds of thousands of dollars” for the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, a memory she proudly recalls as one of her highlights.

“I loved spending time with all of the beautiful girls Clothes Pegg sponsored, and hosting functions to help them raise money,” she said.

“In 1992, I was honoured to be nominated as the Matron of Honour, and I had seven lovely girls nominate alongside me as jacaranda queen candidates that year.

“I’ve always loved the Grafton Jacaranda Festival, and I’ve been very lucky to have had so much to do with it in the last 30 years.

“It’s a very special time of the year.”

Following the 2023 Grafton Jacaranda Festival, Mrs Mavin was joined by her family and friends for her 90th birthday celebrations at the Wiigulga Multipurpose Centre in Woolgoolga, on November 4, the day before her birthday on November 5.