From a simple idea to plant sunflowers a festival has grown. The Kalbar Sunflower Festival in the Scenic Rim of South-West Queensland is a three-day celebration for all abilities.
Kalbar Sunflowers owner and manager, Jenny Jenner said she wanted everyone to experience the happiness of the sunflowers, whether able-bodied, in a wheelchair, as a child or an elder, and is preparing to plant more than a million sunflowers for the event from April 19-21.
“For the first time at this year’s festival, we are introducing a Sensory Garden, a Fairy Garden of mini sunflowers for those in wheelchairs and littlies, so the flowers are at their respective eye height, and 180m of wheelchair tracking through the sunflowers for added accessibility,” she said. “We will have a Quiet Tent for those with sensory needs, and buggy rides through the sunflowers for those with added accessibility issues.”
The 2024 festival will feature sunrise yoga and sound healing in the sunflowers, adults and children’s sunflower art classes, unique dining experience with long lunches and a dinner event, photography mini sessions, flower crown masterclasses and a range of other special events, workshops and experiences plus helicopter rides above the sunflower paddocks. Visitors can also wander through the sunflower fields and enjoy the mountain views.
The festival, now in its fourth year began in 2021 when lucerne farmers Jenny and Russell Jenner were struggling to keep their crops alive during one of the longest droughts in memory. Water was scarce and they couldn’t grow their main crop, but Russell brought a bunch of sunflowers home and planted them because they need very little water.
2024 will be the first festival without Russell, who died in July 2023 from oesophageal cancer, and Jenny is aiming to raise $100,000 for The Mater Cancer Care Centre at Springfield.
All accommodation booked in the Scenic Rim region for the weekend of the festival will have tickets available as a package deal. There are camping and caravan sites at Kalbar Showground, Boonah Showground, Aratula Sports Ground and at Moogerah Dam with other accommodation options at-Accommodation — Kalbar Sunflowers
Details: adults $32 includes a donation to the Mater Foundation Cancer Care Centre and if buying online through Ticketebo, go into a draw to win a $4,000 lab diamond from The Moissanite Company.
Teens – 13-17 years $15; Children 12 and under – free. Companion Cards are free with a paying visitor.
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