Get out to the Gatton Showgrounds this Sunday, 2 June and celebrate being a Queenslander with the Lockyer Community Centre.
From 10am to 3pm, Valley Fest is returning for its second year to celebrate Queensland Day with a bigger and better event.
Lockyer Community Centre manager and event organiser Linda Roberts said she was excited to showcase the region while celebrating Queensland Day.
“It will inject some community pride and bring the community together to celebrate what they enjoy about living in the region and in Queensland,” Mrs Roberts said.
“One of the highlight events last year was the watermelon eating challenge, which was a bit of messy fun.
“We’ll be looking for participants for both the junior and adult category for that, so sign up early on the day.”
The watermelon eating challenge will be held at 2pm, and is proudly sponsored by Nolan’s Transport.
At 11am, Valley Fest will determine who is the biggest tosser in the Lockyer Valley.
“The other fun Queensland-themed game is the pineapple toss, which is proudly sponsored by Lockyer Valley Foods,” Mrs Roberts said.
“We’re encouraging everyone to come along and prove if they’re the biggest tosser in the Lockyer Valley for 2024, and they get a little trophy to prove it.”
Mrs Roberts said there was plenty for the family to do, with more than 50 food, information and market stalls and more than enough children’s activities
“We’ve got a great lineup of food, anything from Greek to Asian to Vietnamese, doughnuts, and a community barbeque being run by the Vietnam Veterans support group in Laidley,” she said.
“Lockyer Valley Early Education Centre are coming along to provide free childrens’ activities like face-painting.”
Mik Oberley will lead the main stage with opening act Body Ridley, while the secondary stage will host the Lockyer Tai Chi Group, Move and Groove Dance Studio, Argyle Lodge Pipe Band and the PNG cultural community group.
Other entertainment includes a static dirt bike and car display, face painting, trackless train rides, Ghostly Games mobile video games, animal petting farm, pony rides, roaming characters and random giveaways.
Entry to Valley Fest is only $5, with children under 16 free.
“The aim is to deliver this event annually and make it a bit of a signature event for our region, and the reality is, to do that, we need to make sure the event is financially sustainable,” Mrs Roberts said.
“That’s why we’ve moved from Littleton Park to the Showgrounds, so we can capture an entrance fee.”
Entry automatically guarantees visitors a ticket in the hourly prize draw, with prizes ranging in value from $100 to $300.
“It could be a BBQ boat hire up at Bribie Island, it could be a night out at Porters,” Mrs Roberts said.
“They can purchase more wristbands if they want to have more entries into that and have more chances to win those prizes.”
Additional wristbands are only $1.
“They can come along and fill their whole arm up with wristbands if they want,” Mrs Roberts said.
Mrs Roberts said she hoped to see people get involved with the arts and craft projects on offer..
“We’re going to have a free interactive art and craft project throughout the day, delivered by creative arts therapist Christina Renata,” she said.
“We’ve got some activities like painting rocks for the little ones, but we’re also looking at potentially getting enough people to decorate a tile canvas.
“Keeping in the theme with Queensland Day, they can draw sunflowers, a beach or whatever they like.”
The tile canvas will be displayed at the Lockyer Community Centre.
Valley Fest will have courtesy buses to assist people in Laidley, Forest Hill and Gatton to come to the event.
Visit the Lockyer Community Centre’s Facebook page or call the centre on 07 5462 3355 for more information on bus times and locations.
Valley Fest is hosted by Lockyer Community Centre and proudly supported by the Queensland Government through the Queensland Day Sponsorship Program.
