The 68th National Cherry Festival

The official opening of the 34^th Annual National Cherry Festival Competitive Art Exhibition was on Wednesday night and was well attended with Hilltops Council Mayor Brian Ingram opening the event.

On Thursday the 20^th Annual Cherry Festival Photographic Competition and Exhibition opened at the Millards Centre, the exhibit will continue right through to the end of the Cherry Festival.

The Advent ART Exhibition ‘Walk a Mile in These Shoes’ opened on Thursday at St John’s Anglican Church. Advent Art is a community arts festival held by the church for the people of Young and districts and asks participants to respond to a theme by creating artworks for exhibition and viewing. There is also an installation of a labyrinth for meditation.

On Friday the annual Hanging of the Quilts will be held at the Millard Centre between 9 and 5pm.

From 5.30pm on Friday the festival will then move to Anderson Park with live entertainment, the Cherry and Charity Queen coronation and the National Cherry Festival Fireworks Display at 9pm. 

Saturday morning begins with the Young and Region Farmers Markets who will once again be joining up with the National Cherry Festival Markets Stalls from 8am.

The Cherry Festival Motor Display has a change of location this year with the event to be held on Lovell Street at the Town Hall Car Park. The event will run from 9am until 2.30pm.

There will be plenty of live street entertainment on the stage that will be set up on the corner of Boorowa and Lynch Street between 10am and 2pm.

The Young Quick Shear will be taking registrations from 10am on Saturday morning with events for novice, intermediate, senior and open divisions. The Young Quick Shear will be held at the Young Services Club from 11am.

Anderson Park will be a hive of entertainment on Saturday with the acknowledgement to Country on the main stage at 7.55am followed by live music and performances by Red Cherry Jazz, Young Public School, Leanne Simms Academy of Dance, Young Town Band, Regional School of Music Stage Band, Christine Wishart School of Dance, Sing Australia and the Hilltops Choir.

At 12.45pm the winner of the Cherry Growers Display will be announced in Anderson Park and the Busking Competition and Performance will be held between 12.50 and 1.30pm.

Between 1.30 and 1.45pm on the main stage the winners of the South West Slopes Credit Union National Cherry Festival Lambing Flat Fellowship of Australian Writers Competition will be announced.

At 10am on Saturday at Tresilian Park on the corner of Marina and Zouch Street the much anticipated Young Sporting Walk of Fame will officially be opened.

The Wilders Bakery Cherry Pie Eating Competition registration will be taken from 2pm. The competition featuring a ‘Celebrity Round’ will be held from 2.30pm with a $100 prize up for grabs in the junior event and $250 for the winner of the senior division.

The main event the National Cherry Festival Street Parade will be held between 4 and 5pm along Boorowa Street. With floats, displays, music, marching and dancing there is something for everyone as the town showcases it’s community spirit.

The Celtic Tattoo Themed Massed Bands will perform out the front of Town Hall at the conclusion of the parade with performances until 7.15pm.

For the first time in many years the Young Equine and Livestock Centre will be hosting the National Cherry Festival Rodeo. Gates for the event open from 12pm with the main events beginning at the end of the Cherry Festival Street Parade at 5pm. The event will be held at the Young Race Course, 4 Milly Milly Lane, Young. For more information visit Young Equine and Livestock Centre on Facebook.

On Sunday the annual Donges Supa IGA Big Breakfast will be held at Anderson Park from 7am. For $5 locals and visitors can eat a hearty breakfast while socialising and enjoying the outdoors.

Up at the Golf Club from 11am will be the Allied Grain Systems Cherry Festival Cup with all proceeds from the event going to the Young Prostate Cancer Support Group. The event is a two person ambrose with heaps of prizes up for grabs on the day.

Between 8am and 10am on the Main Stage in Anderson Park the Bush Poets and Junior Bush Poets will be performing and entertaining the crowds eating breakfast.

The Handmade Home Grown Produce and Craft Market will be held on Sunday morning between 9am and 2pm with plenty of locally grown, made and produced products.

Anderson Park will also be the place to be between 10am and 10.30am for the Rotary Ham Wheel.

The Hawkesbury Working Kelpies will be showcasing demonstrations between 10am and 2pm at Anderson Park.

Between 10.30am and 11am registrations will be taken for the Cherry Pip Spit competition with the main event starting at 11am. There are trophies and prizes for both juniors, ladies and men events.

At 3pm on Sunday afternoon the Carols by Choirs will be hosted by the Young Regional School of Music at St Mary’s Catholic Church.