Lots of places have festivals and open gardens but Daffodils at Rydal is quite unique.
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The gardens will be open on the weekends of September 8-9 and September 15-16 between 10am and 4pm.
Set in a beautiful countryside the tiny village has a special quality, it can grow daffodils in abundance.
The daffodils are a feature of both the private and public parks. All the gardens are different, some quite small and some covering two acres.
Over the years the Rydal Village Association has done an enormous amount of work on its public parks, particularly Pioneers Park.
It has a path right around it to make for easy walking and features an amphitheatre. See Sculptures in the Scrub, an exhibition in honour of local sculptor Antony Symons who passed away earlier this year.
With 40 sculptures set up in the park, it is expected to be quite a spectacle.
Another new feature is an art show.
The Daffodil Committee’s Carolyn Andison said she hoped that the new art competition would attract a new market to the festival and would help support the local art community.
The art show provides an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talent by supporting a local fundraising event.
The art will be judged by people’s choice, with the winner to receive $250 in prize money, plus the opportunity for all artists to sell their work.
This year the amphitheatre will be the setting for several musical events such as the Blackheath Heathens choir and for the first time will feature Flamenco Dancing.
The Flamenco Dancers will be on each day during the festival.
There will be an all-day barbecue and morning and afternoon teas will be available.
There will be floristry demonstrations, paintings for sale and lots of activities for children and even an opportunity to see the release of an amazing collection of Budapest High Flyers and Canadian and Birmingham Roller birds.
The different stalls will have a wide range of goods ranging from fresh home-grown vegetables, to homemade cakes, local honey and special Rydal tea towels.
The $10 entry fee takes you to all the gardens, musical events and other activities.
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Funds raised from garden entry this year are supporting local drought affected farmers.
When you arrive go to the information desk at the Railway Station for your entry band and for a detailed program of the times and locations of the day’s activities.
A free courtesy bus will take you to all the gardens, on a hop on hop off system. It will even take you to the country gardens.
For more information about Rydal visit www.rydal.com.au or call 0448 542 848.
Each September, Daffodils at Rydal brings thousands of visitors to the small historic village to see the fabulous show-piece gardens that locals work so hard to build and maintain to raise money for local charities.
Rydal was named after a village in England’s Lakes District where the poet William Wordsworth lived.
His poem ‘The Daffodils’ has helped make these lovely flowers popular throughout the world. Daffodils are also the national flower of Wales in the UK.