The Ballarat Begonia Festival is almost ready to bloom

Get ready to celebrate the beauty of begonias with a range of free experiences, entertainment and activities at the 2025 Ballarat Begonia Festival.

The popular three-day event will see the historic Ballarat Botanical Gardens transform into a vibrant oasis this Labour Day long weekend (Saturday 8 – Monday 10 March from 10am-5pm).

This year's line-up will include:

• thousands of beautiful begonias (including more than 500 rare and unique varieties) on display in the Robert Clark Conservatory
• Garden of Giggles – a series of free puppet and comedy shows, roving entertainment and interactive workshops
• free activities including Integra Tiny Town, horticultural workshops, rock climbing, a sports zone, giant garden games and Trash Puppet workshops
• a scavenger hunt through the gardens to find 10 unique snail sculptures crafted by Victorian artist Tim Read
• a treasure trove of plants, flowers and garden gifts in the Gardeners Market
• local wines, beers and spirits at The Begonia Bar plus a range of food trucks
• the Power FM Ballarat Begonia Parade on Monday 10 March

And in a first for Australia's east coast, witness the magic of large scale, interactive installation The Last Numbat.

Created by renowned Australian puppetry company Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, the marionette is controlled by up to 14 participants at a time and will enchant audiences with its messages of connection, community and environmental awareness.

Main stage highlights will include:

• beloved environmental educator, landscape architect and TV personality Costa Georgiadis
• proud Bundjalung woman and MasterChef Australia alumna Mindy Woods
• passionate gardener and award-winning presenter Chloe Thomson
• environmental educator Millie Ross
• renowned Ballarat chef Liam Downes from Black Cat Truffles

For the full program, head to ballaratbegoniafestival.com