Emma Pritchard
The beautiful blooms of the jacaranda trees in See Park, Grafton, will once again light up the night sky this year.
Between 7.30-10.30pm every evening from October 20 until November 10, 126 strategically placed spotlights will shine upon the purple petals, creating an alluring display for Illuminate Jacaranda.
Introduced to the annual Grafton Jacaranda Festival in 2021 as an initiative of Clarence Valley Council (CVC) to encourage visitors to stay overnight in the region to enjoy the enchanting experience, Illuminate Jacaranda has quickly become a favourite attraction for sightseers during Australia’s oldest floral festival.
CVC Event Development Officer Deborah Merritt said Illuminate Jacaranda is “an absolute, must-see experience”, and she is encouraging Clarence Valley residents and visitors to embark on a mesmerising journey and witness the breathtaking spectacle of 20 fully grown jacarandas aglow in See Park.
“We also can’t wait to unveil a dazzling new feature that will further enhance the sparkle of the magnificent reflections in the pond at See Park,” she added.
“Illuminate Jacaranda offers residents a place to go with their visiting friends and family to show off Grafton’s beauty, either for a twilight picnic or an evening meander.”
Ms Merritt revealed more than 570 visitors completed a Jacaranda Festival survey in 2022, with 48 percent of respondents indicating they stayed in the region for more than one night, with many staying up to a week or more.
“More visitors staying overnight in the Clarence Valley provides a boost to local businesses via the visitor economy,” Mrs Merritt said.
Last year, Felix Agauer and Tegan Fern from Brisbane told the Clarence Valley Independent they stayed an additional two nights in Grafton so they could continue to experience the magic of Illuminate Jacaranda.
“It was such an amazing spectacle, so we decided to extend our holiday so we could spend more time in See Park under the illuminated jacaranda trees,” Mr Agauer said.
The Grafton Jacaranda Festival Committee will celebrate at See Park each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening (except October 21) throughout Illuminate Jacaranda with live entertainment, food vans, and refreshments (weather permitting).
Steensen Varming and local company Summertime Electrical and Security installed the lighting extravaganza this year.