About the Festival
About
The Gayndah Orange Festival honors the region’s citrus industry. It is a fun-filled family-friendly event. The Festival is held every second year. Commencing in 1957, the traditions and festivities are much anticipated at each festival. Come and join us for a great weekend of fun and celebrations. The 2025 theme is “Fly your Flags for the Festival”.
26 April: Gala Ball – Gayndah Showgrounds, Spencer Street
2 May: Wine and Cheese Evening – Gayndah Town Hall, Capper Street
3 May: Festival Day – Markets, street procession, entertainment, competitions, Fielding Street
4 May: Fun Day – Gayndah Showgrounds, Spencer Street
The 2025 Festival Theme
“Fly your Flags for the Festival”. Embrace the many cultures that are represented in our town during the citrus season and celebrate the diversity that these people bring to Gayndah. Decorate your float, business or window with flags from different countries or proudly fly the flag of your school or community group. Flags are used as a symbol, signaling devices and for decoration and help in identifying countries, groups or organisations. So fly your flags for the 2025 Gayndah Orange Festival and proudly display your culture or organisation.
Competitions
The Gayndah Orange Festival competitions are a lot of fun! We very much look forward to viewing all the competition entries in the 2025 Gayndah Orange Festival. Info about the various competitions is below:
Magnificent Mullet Competition returns!
This competition is held on Festival Day (3 May 2025). Groom those magnificent mullets and be in the running to win $100 and hair care products. Proudly sponsored by Angela’s Hair and Beauty. Enter on the day at the Orange Festival office opposite the main stage. Judging will take place at 3pm at the main stage.
Decorated Float Competition
This competition is also held on Festival Day (3 May 2025). If you would like to enter a Decorated Float please click the below button to learn about the competition categories, fill out the entry form and read other important information.
Decorated Window Competition
If you would like to enter a Decorated Window, please click the below button to find out more and fill out the entry form.
Family Fun Day
Our orange throwing competition is on again! As always there will be a host of competitions and games during our Family Fun Day held on the 4th of May 2025 at the Gayndah Showgrounds. Please note: The food stalls will open at 8am. The events kick-off at 9am.
The New Street Procession Route
The 2025 Orange Festival Procession starts at 12pm on Saturday the 3rd of May. Come and see the decorated floats and the procession of our Queen entrants who take centre stage. Our new procession route will commence in the park, corner of Anzac Parade and Simon Street. Floats will proceed down Anzac Parade, right into Fielding Street and left into Meson Street.
The Festival Program
The 2025 Orange Festival Event Program will be added to this website in early March 2025. Please return to this website after the 20th of March 2025 to download the Festival Program.
What if it Rains?
If it rains during the 2025 Gayndah Orange Festival we will update this section of the website and announce a ‘Plan B’ if needed. We’ll also post on our Facebook page. Hopefully though, the weather will be great.
More info about the 2025 Festival
We have included lots more quick-to-read information about the 2025 Gayndah Orange Festival on our website home page. It also includes information about the Featured Events during the festival.
History of the Festival
(The below text is extracted from: Gayndah Orange Festival Silver Jubilee book, June, 1983)
The origins of the Orange Festival go back to the mid fifties when Mr John Smith Senior suggested that Gayndah hold an ‘Orange Blossom Festival’. The idea was taken up and promoted among local organisations by the Chamber of Commerce. It was eventually resolved to hold an “Orange Festival” on the Queen’s birthday weekend in 1957.
The purpose of the original festival was to promote the Gayndah district and its industries. The ‘orange’ theme was chosen because citrus was one of Gayndah’s major industries at the time and because of its natural colour and attractiveness.
Twelve contestants took part in the first Queen competition. The honour of being the first Orange Festival Queen went to Miss M Yappa now Mrs M Cook. The crowning of the Queen remains the highlight of the festival.
In 1959 a competition was conducted to find a name for the Orange Man symbol. 231 entries were received from far and wide, and the eventual winner was Mrs Heather Ping of Gayndah who titled him “Gay Dan”.
The only occasion when the festival was not held on schedule was in 1971, due mainly to the lack of public support. However, after that Mr R.D (Sam) Weller accepted the job of president for the 1973 festival.