Emma Pritchard

The fun filled festivities of Anytime Fitness Jacaranda Thursday may have been confined to Market Square, but the community’s love of the popular annual event extended far beyond the boundary fence in 2021.

While Prince Street remained open to traffic and the Jacaranda Markets were unfortunately cancelled due to the persistent wet weather during the week, the free breakfast, live entertainment and sideshow attractions still drew a large number of participants.

The Clarence Valley Independent hit the streets to ask people how they were celebrating the half day public holiday.

Annika Whelan: I really wish the markets could have been held this year because they’re my favourite part of Jacaranda Thursday. I like seeing all of the different stallholders and what they’re selling. This year I just listened to some of the music in Market Square with some friends. The performers were really good and that lifted the whole ambience of the event.

Mason Abbott: My friends and I hung out at Market Square and went to the free breakfast. I think we all ate three or four sausages each. They were really good.

Willow Thindrill: This is the first time I’ve come to a Jacaranda Thursday in Grafton. It’s really cool to watch how the whole community interact and it creates a really positive vibe. I understand things are normally a lot bigger, but I think given the circumstances the event has been really enigmatic this year and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

Kiera Freya: I brought my three kids to Market Square for the free breakfast which we love coming to each year, and then we got some purple ice cream from I Scream and came back to Market Square so the kids could go on the ferris wheel.