Monday, September 29, 2008

Inverell's Saphire City Festival 17-26 October 2008



Photo: On the lawns, Inverell Saphire Festival

Country music star Adam Harvey is the special guest at Inverell’s annual Telstra Countrywide Sapphire City Festival this October.

Adam will sing at the Festival Finale Show on Saturday October 25, following the street parade that winds its way through Inverell’s business district.

The 10-day Festival runs from Friday October 17 to Sunday October 26 and offers a diverse range of activities and entertainment.

Organising Committee member, Les Moulds, said the Festival represents the wealth of talent and culture in the local community.

“It’s a consistently successful event that really shows off what we have to offer in Inverell,” Mr Moulds said.

“I would recommend to people contemplating a visit here to stop in for a few days at this time because they’ll experience Inverell at its best.”

This year’s program includes: art exhibitions, a dog show, craft and gem displays, a poet’s breakfast, open gardens, music concerts, markets, a great debate, campdrafting and a bowls carnival.

One highlight will be the 10th birthday celebrations of one of Inverell’s iconic attractions, the Transport Museum.

Home to one of the largest collection of vehicles in the country, Stage One of the Transport Museum will be officially opened on Saturday October 18 at 5pm.

Transport Museum Secretary Rex Sneyd said there are long-term plans for expansion of the museum, which will see it almost double in size.

A free display of vintage vehicles will be staged at the front of the museum for the birthday.

In a long-held Festival tradition, the Inverell Toastmasters will host a debate on Friday, October 17 at the Inverell RSM Club with the contentious topic: “That the Great Wall of Australia should be constructed at the Tweed”.

Personally, I would construct it just north of Sydney!

The first Saturday of the Festival is a sporty kind of day, with a bowls carnival, Caulfield Cup Race Day, the Sapphire City Spurs Campdraft and a Dog Show.

In a new event for the young ones, the McLean Village is holding a Pre-School Trike-athon Fundraiser, for five years and under, at the Inverell Public School on Sunday October 19.

Exhibitions throughout the Festival include:

  • Inverell Art Society Exhibition at the Inverell Art Gallery
  • Inverell and District Lapidary Club Gem and Craft Show
  • Inverell Floral Art Association Spring Flower Show
  • Inverell Sapphire City Show & Shine Car Show
  • Kottage Kiya Gallery Open Gardens – antique furniture, pottery and gardens.

One major event not to be missed is the Festival Parade and Grand Finale on the final Saturday (October 25), kicking off from 4pm. The evening events includes music (featuring Adam Harvey), crowning of the Festival Queens, bush poetry, carnival rides, food stalls and the fireworks spectacular.

Further Information

The Telstra Countrywide Sapphire City Festival runs from Friday October 17 to Sunday October 26 at various locations around Inverell.

Inverell is 489km (5 hours 35 minutes) south west of Brisbane, 675km north west (just under 8 hours) north west of Sydney, 489km (6 hours 50 minutes) north west of Newcastle, 126km (one hour 48 minutes) north west of Armidale.

For a comprehensive festival program or contact details for individual events, please call Tourism Inverell on 02 6728 8161.

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