The 69th Goulburn Lilac City Festival may have a different vibe, but the core and tradition are still the same.
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Official Opening
The festival started with the official opening at 10am in Belmore Park on Saturday, October 3, live streamed to the Goulburn Lilac City Festival Facebook page.
Goulburn Mulwaree mayor Bob Kirk and Lilac Queen April Watson were there to announce the beginning of what the two hoped would be another successful festival.
Ms Watson said although large gatherings weren't allowed this time around due to COVID-19, there was a big upside to doing things virtually.
"One of the best things about going virtual is that people will be able to watch at any time," Ms Watson said.
"It was hard to be at two places at once last year, but now you can at all the places by watching our streams."
Cr Kirk believed next year's event would be one of the best ever. He felt the public would miss the many activities that would have run if it wasn't for the pandemic.
"Last year showed a desire in the community for the festival to continue and succeed," Cr Kirk said.
"That was the first and most important message we got out of it."
Ms Watson said the parade was greatly missed too.
"The biggest highlight for mine last year was the parade because it was the first one we had in such a long time," she said.
"We had a really strong community engagement on the Saturday."
Where's April?
If you spot April anywhere in town today, take a photo and send it to the Goulburn Lilac City Festival Facebook page and North McDonalds will give a prize to a winner selected randomly.
Business window display winner
One of the most anticipated awards each year is the Goulburn Lilac City Festival business window display into which entrants put a great deal of time and effort.
The overall winner was the business Liz's Dancewear and the masterpiece was created by Paul Barling. The window also scooped the fashion and jewellery category.
The judge was Goulburn Soroptimist president Anne Oliver, who said there was very little to separate all the entries.
"The theme this year was city pride, promoting Goulburn and the colour lilac," Mrs Oliver said.
"We'd like to congratulate all the businesses for the standard of the entries. Judging was very difficult."
Mr Barling said it took about a week of planning.
"We thought there was nothing Goulburn was more proud of than the festival, so we used that as the theme," Mr Barling said.
"The festival means a lot to me as well as I've been involved with it since the beginning."
The other winning displays were First Inland City Newsagency, Mincove Homes, the Australian Red Cross, Warrigal Goulburn and RJ's Drycleaners.
Fun fact: Blast from the past
Liz's Dancewear was a fitting winner as Mr Barling designed the original Lilac City badge back in the 1950s.
He explained how the idea for the badge design came about.
"Lilac time started in 1952 and I was working in the display department of Rogers (store)," Mr Barling said.
"There was a competition with plenty of entries and they specifically wanted a badge that could be worn every year and they'd change the colour annually.
"Thousands of these were reproduced every year and it's still going today."
Oh, baby!
Little Louie McPhee slept through it all. But in years to come he'll be undoubtedly chuffed that he was declared the winner of the Lilac Baby Competition. His parents certainly were.
Louie was born to Kristy McPhee and Simon Hayes on Thursday October 1 at Goulburn Base Hospital. Festival patron Tony Lamarra and wife Adriana presented Louie's parents with a gift and bouquet of flowers on Saturday morning.
Occasion fit for royals
No Lilac Festival would be complete without a prince and princess.
Zalee Collis is just five years old and loves princesses and dressing up as Belle. Now she really is Goulburn's princess.
She was joined on the virtual throne by 10-year-old Zane Gill who told organisers he loved Lilac Time and Goulburn.
Garden competition
A sprawling garden at the historic Rossiville Homestead, just west of Goulburn has come out on top this year.
Owned by Georgina and Ian Chambers, the garden is set across extensive grounds backing on to the Wollondilly River.
Rossiville was built for Francis Rossi in 1832. The stone homestead is surrounded by original trees, ornamental hedges, and gardens set among the vast lawn area.
Mrs Chambers said the family had only moved to the Goulburn area a few years ago and "absolutely loved it."
She thanks John Fisher and Alana Trinder for their assistance with the garden.
Festival committee member Jacki Waugh presented the best overall trophy to the Chambers. The garden also took out first place in the country garden category.
Mrs Waugh thanked Audrey Tabner and John Weatherstone who judged the competition.
Other winners were:
Section 1 - First time garden entry
- Fay Waters
- Lois Hill
Section 2 - Senior Citizen Garden
- Enid Rose
- Barbara McAleenan
Section 3 - Small Garden
- Kath Walcott
- D Heriot and L Alison
Section 4 - Medium Garden
- Brenda Aldworth
- Terry Betts
Section 5 - Large Garden
- Neville and Pam Burrows
Section 6 - Country Garden
- Georgina Chambers - 'Rossiville'
- Lynelle Fleming - 'Kippilaw'
Section 7 - School Garden
No entries
Section 8 - Community Garden
- Goulburn Community Garden
- Goulburn Masonic Village
Section 9 - Business Garden
No entries
Section 10 - Heritage Garden
- Riversdale
- Historic Goulburn Waterworks
Section 11 - Fruit and Vegetable
No entries
Section 12 - Pot Plant Garden
- Kerrie Oxley
- Kevin McDougall
Section 13 - Native Garden
- Kaye Norman
Betty-Jane May Memorial Trophy - Riversdale
Best overall garden trophy - Georgina Chambers, Rossiville.
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