Festival organisers are pleased with the weekend’s fourth annual Warialda Honey Festival, with an increase in the number of market stalls and vintage cars on display.

“On the whole, most people had a pretty good day,” Organiser Debbie Ford said. “Most of the market stall holders said that they’d book again and that they’re very keen to come back again next year.”

“We had some stallholders that did remarkably well out of the day, including the Pig Dog Shop from Armidale, several stallholders selling wooden products and a lady selling honey,” Debbie said. Organiser Natasha Ford said that there was interest from right around the region for this year’s Festival. “There were many visitors to the town who travelled to Warialda just for the Festival. I spoke to people from Inverell, Glen Innes, Barraba and Moree. It was also great to see the community get behind the festival and come down for a look,” Natasha said.

A great line-up of performances kept the crowds on Hope Street entertained all day, with demonstrations from WOW Fitness with their Zumba class, music from the Gwydir Concert Band and high school students Tahlia Stevens and Maddison Rose, Old Time Dancing, Several Pipe Band performances and pieces from the Warialda Public School.

Local singers Amy & Bill McIntosh and Jamie Flegerbein also played in the afternoon.

Young and old alike were both amazed with and afraid of the reptilian wonders of Crocodile Encounters. Mark Richmond held several shows throughout the day with his hands-on displays of crocodiles, lizards and snakes.

The winner of the Best Parade Float went to the Old Time Dancers, followed by Warialda MPS. The Warialda Visitor Information Centre won the best window display, followed by Kingys Place.
There was a ‘people’s choice’ competition with the cars display. Shirley Rose’s 1955 FJ Holden won the section for the car that ‘brought back the happiest memories,’ while Darrell and Margaret Pike’s 1949 Singer won the ‘car that people would most like to own.’ Tony Jukes from Moree also won a people’s choice award for his purple 1932 Ford.

Organisers Natasha and Debbie Ford have thanked everyone involved in putting the day together, including volunteers, sponsors, performers, stallholders and the community.