Bougainvillea Festival Darwin 1995
August 1995
The Bougainvillea Festival was born out of the destruction of Cyclone Tracy which struck Darwin Christmas Eve in 1974 leaving behind 68 dead and 25,000 Darwin residents homeless. In 1977, Northern Territory Director of Health Dr Charles Gurd suggested celebrating the town’s revival with a festival that would draw the community together and reflect the optimism of those determined to rebuild. Staged in July 1979, the Bougainvillea Festival, held on the first anniversary of the granting of self-government for the NT, was a floral festival aimed at promoting the beautification of the city. The early years of the Festival featured such events as the Bougainvillea Queen of Quests competition, Home Garden contests, the Grand Parade - a floral procession with floats and decorated bikes - sporting events, a billy-cart derby, birdman rally and a mardi gras. The Festival shifted its focus toward community arts in the 1990s, with a vision of becoming a cultural focus for the region through a greater emphasis on cultural performances and arts activities. Artists were recruited to work with community associations and schools to invigorate the Grand Parade, and Indigenous communities and Asia Pacific cultural groups were encouraged to have greater participation. In 1996, Darwin’s annual celebration became known as the Festival of Darwin.
- Document type: Photo
- Time period: Legislative Assembly NT
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