NSW Minister for Tourism Steve Kamper, Mayor Brian Ingram, SWS Bank Chief Strategy & Engagement Officer, Jayson Smith and Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke.
The National Cherry Festival over Saturday and Sunday has marked its 75th anniversary in yet another fantastic weekend. Home to Australia’s first commercial cherry orchard, Young has proudly hosted this much-loved celebration since 1949.
What began as a small-town gathering has grown into a three-day festival that attracts thousands of visitors to the Hilltops region each year.
Joined by NSW Minister for Tourism Steve Kamper, Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said she was proud to join officials to open this year’s milestone edition.
“Not only does Young grow the best cherries, but it’s also home to one of the very best festivals regional NSW has to offer,” she said.
“The organisers and council do a tremendous job every year to deliver a jam-packed program, and this year has been no exception.
“The festival wouldn’t be what it is today without the fresh, delicious cherries our region is famous for, and we couldn’t be prouder of our growers, who have worked tirelessly in the lead-up to this weekend’s celebrations.”
This year’s festival shared in $4 million as part of the NSW Government’s Stronger Together Local Council Major Festival program, which supports multicultural celebrations across the state. Cooke said the funding demonstrated the Government’s commitment to supporting culturally significant events, particularly in regional areas.
“Over the past 8 years, the National Cherry Festival has received numerous grants from successive governments.
“I’m grateful that the NSW Government continues to see the value of our multicultural heritage and contribution to the state’s economy and agricultural output.”
Friday evening saw the inaugural Multicultural Cherry Fiesta – an international food affair celebrating the region’s diverse cultures and culinary excellence.
Launching into the weekend, farmers across the region also opened their farm gates to visitors for ‘pick-your-own’ and ‘paddock-to-plate’ experiences. Back at the main stage, this year welcomed the return of crowd favourite events, including the Cherry Pie Eating Competition and the ‘Pip Spit’ Hilltops Council’s David Munnerlly said it was a huge and successful weekend.
“Definitely one of the highlights was the multicultural fiesta in Boorowa Street on Friday night, everyone really enjoyed the cooking demonstrations.
“The entertainment was fantastic, and the fireworks display was on a next level.
“The crowds were quite high, and a lot of regulars who come to the Cherry festival said that this is the biggest one they’ve seen. There’s a feeling of pride and accomplishment within our team. We work hard all year to put on a fantastic festival and to see it pay off and come into play before our lives. The team is certainly proud, and so they should be.
“I’d hate to actually fully calculate the number of hours that we spend on the actual individual events that we do, but I know we started planning for this year’s festival in January.
“It’s a 12-month process. We start planning in January to deliver a Festival in December.
“There’s a lot of be-hind-the-scenes with bookings of artists and traffic control, security, first aid, accommodation, and entertainment. “I’m shouting out to all the sponsors. They put their money and trust in the event. It’s because of them that the festival goes ahead.
“A massive thank you to the Hilltops Council staff for getting the town looking fantastic and being able to deliver the event for visitors and locals who support the event in one way or another.
“A huge thank you to the volunteers. This isn’t a one person job. It’s a real community involvement to get the festival going.”
– Jack Murray
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