Blooming Lovely Bilpin
The Bilpin Flower Show – first opened in 1961 – is back after twice having been pruned right back by the pandemic. Two years ago marked the 60th anniversary of the event but it couldn’t be celebrated, so this year organisers are looking forward to an even bigger event.
“The flower show is the highlight of the Bilpin calendar,” says show co-ordinator Glenn Watson. “It’s been running so long now that no-one here remembers when it wasn’t on in October.”
Each spring, hundreds of people travel from all over NSW to Bilpin for the sensory overload of walking into a hall filled with the colour and scent of hundreds of cool-country spring flowers and foliage.
Over 80 local growers submit around 700 individual entries across 50 classes, including orchids, rhododendrons, camellias, roses, azaleas, irises, waratahs, proteas, maples, cacti, other succulents, and many more.
Children are strongly encouraged to participate with most entries from the local Bilpin school. Entries are submitted the day before the show and meticulously documented and labelled and then judged to the standards of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW on the Saturday morning immediately before the show opens at 11am.
This careful, quiet process contrasts dramatically with the traditional end of the show at 4pm on the Sunday. Visitors hover with greedy eyes within reach of their favourite exhibits and, at a word from the show coordinator, they grab everything they can.
“You have to laugh, suddenly there’s a wild free-for-all,” says garden club president Airdrie Martin, “because everyone can take away prizewinning flowers for a very tiny price. But it does make packing up the show a lot easier!”
In 2015 the flower show was expanded to include a Spring Fair in the grounds of the Bilpin District Hall. Stalls offer plants for sale, horticultural advice, local arts and craft and delicious, fresh Blue Mountains food. There will be cafe refreshments and quality barista coffee.
The hall’s entrance lobby will feature a jawdropping floral display, arranged this year by locals Russell Fillmore and Paul Brambles.
Meeting and greeting again at the show on the Saturday will be drag artiste and singer Miranda Fair. Despite touting herself as a retail therapist from the Sutherland Shire, she has become a local Bilpin identity, adding sparkle to each flower show since 2014 and live music will feature local country musician Jed Zarb singing and playing his original blues-and-roots hits.
Sunday morning a jazz quartet will perform 20th century musical standards, while the Macquarie Towns Choir will conclude the afternoon.
The Bilpin Flower Show and Spring Fair is at the Bilpin District Hall, 2596 Bells Line of Road, on Saturday October 8 from 11am to 4pm and Sunday from 10am until 3pm. Adult entry $5, children enter free.
More information: www.facebook.com/BilpinFlowerShowandSpringFair
Enquiries: Glenn Watson 0419 979 844.
Email: [email protected]
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