Jacaranda Festival - Purple Blooms, and a Family Fun Day in Applecross

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Events; Published: 07 December 2011

The Jacaranda Festival is held in Applecross, in November of each year. As you reach the Festival, you will be greeted by the purple coloured blossoms of the Jacaranda trees that line the streets of Applecross. The Festival is held in recognition of the annual flowering of these purple flowers and why not. It’s a great excuse to have a festival!

Since its inception, the Festival has gotten bigger each year, with many different stalls on offer. I arrived there with my family just before midday and we were greeted by a hive of fun and activity as we approached the village. The twin ice cream cones welcome arch at the southern entrance add a rather fun festival feel.
For those who aren’t familiar with the location of the Applecross Village, it’s located on Ardross Street. The Village is an interesting mix of cafes and retail shops, set in the picturesque riverside suburb of Applecross. The café strip is a great place to drop in for a coffee anytime, although it’s usually a touch quieter than it was on the day of the Festival!

In terms of transport, you can catch the train to Canning Highway and then catch a bus and get off along Canning Highway close to the festival. Alternatively, if coming by car, parking is available along the residential streets, a short 5 minute walk from the Applecross Village.

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The Applecross Village usually has a lovely feel and on this day, it was really rocking. There were thousands of people enjoying the festival, which had a really nice light hearted and casual vibe about it.

As I wandered through the stalls, I was greeted by the smells of food and coffee. From a food perspective, there were temptations to entice all palates, from hot and spicy curries to samosas, freshly made Spanish churros and cinnamon rolls. And last but not least, a festival wouldn’t be complete without some snaggers in a bun.

The kids were kept busy with face painting and decorating their paper mache umbrellas with bright water colours, and there was also a variety of song and dance acts on stage to entertain them. For the adults, there were many arts and crafts and local produce stalls to browse through.

At the far end of the festival (closer to MacLeod Street), the kids (and quite a few adults!) were having a whale of a time feeding the young animals from the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm. The young goats were sucking thirstily on milk in bottles - they looked like they hadn’t drunk in days!! The goats, roosters and chicks mingled amiably together in the pen, joined by regular visits from some very excited kids, waiting their turn to feed the young goats.

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It was a perfect day in terms of weather, and the alfresco areas were filled with people. Popular cafes such as Ciocollato Expresso and Coffea were busy with people enjoying their Saturday coffee. The Good Grocer was also packed to the rafters, with tastings on offer of local produce, including tapenades and dips.

I enjoyed the fun, relaxed feel about the Festival, set amidst the beauty of the purple Jacaranda trees. At the time of publication of this article, the Festival has come and gone. Keep a look out for next year’s Festival - it’s a date to mark in your calendar. I am sure it will be as enjoyable as this year’s has been.

If you’ve never been to the Jacaranda Festival, you should spend some time at the Festival next year. For the family, it's a perfect way to have a great day out. If you’ve been a regular attendee of the Festival, you’ll be able to relate to the lovely atmosphere and vibe that wafted through the festival on this day. It was a great day with typical gorgeous WA weather. Another day in paradise in Perth enjoying the sunshine and community vibe of a fun festival.

Did you enjoy your day out at the Jacaranda Festival?

What was the highlight of the Festival?

Add your comments below.