Waratah-Wynyard Council’s popular Tulip Festival will be put on hold for 2020, with a month-long celebration of Spring dubbed Spring Loaded planned instead.
The 2020 event would have been the Festival’s 30th birthday, but due to public health concerns around COVID-19, Council is hitting the pause button.
In its place, a month of events is proposed to coincide with the tulip blooming dates.
The Spring Loaded program will capture the essence of the flowers, community coming together, food and wine and icons of the traditional festival whilst bringing back the nostalgia of the past with a series of smaller events from Friday September 25 to Sunday, October 18.
“We are very proud of the Tulip Festival. It is recognised as one of the biggest annual events on Tasmania’s calendar,” Waratah-Wynyard Mayor Robby Walsh said.
“Thousands of people attend the Festival every year, but we are dealing with a very different situation this year, so we have naturally put community safety first.”
In reviewing the delivery of the 2020 Tulip Festival information was provided from the Tulip Farm, Local Business Group, Events Tasmania, Worksafe Tasmania and Business Tasmania, as well as staff and volunteers involved in delivery of the Festival.
“Considering all the information, the recommended cancellation of the event in its traditional format was relatively straight forward, however we were acutely aware of the impact of not having a festival for our community,” said Council’s Director Community and Engagement, Ms Tracey Bradley.
“The Tulip Festival is an iconic event for the Wynyard community and more broadly the North-West Coast, so consideration was given to delivering an alternative series of events that honour the community’s love of the Tulip Festival but are also safe to enjoy,” said Ms Bradley.
“Wynyard and surrounds comes alive during tulip time and we would love to have people visiting from all over the State to see the flowers and enjoy the proposed Spring Loaded program of events. We encourage all Tasmanians to visit and explore what our area has to offer,” Waratah-Wynyard Council’s Community & Events Officer Chantelle French said.
Council will deliberate the proposal for an alternate program of events and make a recommendation at Monday night’s Council meeting.
If any business or groups would like to be included in the program please contact Chantelle French at cfrench@warwyn.tas.gov.au
Authorised for general media distribution by Shane Crawford, General Manager, Waratah-Wynyard Council on Thursday, July 30, 2020.