All Aboard for Adventure!

2024 staged the celebrated and triumphant return of the beloved Burdekin Water Festival and following on from such an overwhelmingly positive response from the local and wider community, the Committee cannot wait to host another fantastic event!

Almost a year ago to date, seven junior ambassadors and seven senior ambassadors representing various community groups, schools and businesses with outstanding enthusiasm, leadership and pride touched the hearts of the entire community from the Festival Launch until the Winners and Runners Up were crowned.

Over 40 entries paraded through Queen Street to a crowd of over 7,000 people, and the Burdekin Water Festival’s social media pages attracted over 15,000 public engagements, which was an achievement in itself considering the work the Committee put in behind the scenes to resurrect the treasured celebration from the ground up.

Ahead of this year’s festival, the Committee has hit the ground running, and following last week’s theme announcement, the excitement has continued to build!

“The Community put forward theme ideas on the Festival Facebook page and we also looked back at themes from past festivals to make sure we didn’t replicate,” shared Burdekin Water Festival Secretary, Kari Ravizza.

“The theme “Bon Voyage – Roam the Globe” is a fun, travel-inspired theme that invites people to embrace global exploration, whether through costumes, performances, decorations or cultural displays and we hope to encourage imagination, discovery and appreciation for the diversity of the world!”

With planning well underway, the Committee warmly welcomed a few friendly faces back to the round table this year, with 2024 Senior Ambassadors Charlotte Horsfall, Sasha Previtera and Demi O’Shea putting their hands up to help ensure the festival continues to succeed.

“Our committee are deep into the planning of the events as well as the Ambassador Program as our aim is to build on the success of last year and include more ways for the community to come together to celebrate our unique identity in the Burdekin,” added Kari.

Similarly to 2024’s extravaganza, 2025 will stage a plethora of nostalgic fan favourite events including the Community Lauch and Festival Fashion Parade, Long Lunch and Senior Ambassador Crowning, Window Display Competition, Tug Of War Competition, and Grand Parade and Mardi Gras.

“This year we will also be including the Garden Competition of years gone by so keen green thumbs can get a head start now on preparing their gardens to be looking their best by September,” Kari highlighted.

“Our Ambassadors will also be holding their own public events so watch this space!”

The Burdekin Water Festival’s Community Launch will take place on the 28th of June and the Committee promises there will be plenty of opportunities for locals to get involved right up until the Grand Parade and Mardi Gras on the 6th of September.

‍

The Burdekin Water Festival's 2025 theme is "Bon Voyage – Roam the Globe"! (Photo Credit: Sharon Bozzetto)

‍