The final touches have been made to Begonia Festival installations around Ballarat as the 69th annual event launches on Saturday.
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A new addition to the expanded festival is a series of installations along Sturt Street, including a giant illuminated garden created by production design house FORM Imagination, illuminated letters spelling begonia on which individual artists were asked to put their own spin, a begonia garland on Town Hall by local indigenous artist Dr Deanne Gilson and a 6.5-metre kinetic sculpture called Spherotype.
Civic Hall will be home to the urban garden highlighting local florists and featuring a world-first floating begonia carpet which will only be on display until March 14.
The main event, the begonia display, will be open every day of the festival at the Robert Clark Conservatory at Ballarat Botanical Gardens from 10am to 5pm.
Residents and visitors can also explore the region through the floral frame trail, featuring six oversized photo frames creatively dressed by local Ballarat artists.
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City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said the installations were a great addition to the new-look COVID-safe Begonia Festival program that has moved its emphasis into the CBD to disperse crowds and support local businesses and the economy.
"The fact that we have been able to utilise some of the best home-grown artists and creators, many of them with an international standing, is a great nod to our creative city status," he said.
For a full program of events visit begoniafestival.com
