Grafton Jacaranda Festival 2026

Grafton is preparing to turn a spectacular shade of purple when the Grafton Jacaranda Festival returns from 30 October to 8 November 2026.
Celebrating the city's famous jacaranda trees at their blooming best, Australia's oldest floral festival packs 10 days with parades, markets, live entertainment, cultural celebrations, family activities, fireworks and plenty of wonderfully purple traditions.

Family-Friendly Events at Grafton Jacaranda Festival

This year's theme, Shining Bright, celebrates the community connections that have kept Jaca Fest glowing for generations.

There's plenty happening before the official opening too, with Illuminate, the Jaca Children's Party, Jacaranda Ball and new Youth Connect Expo kicking off the celebrations from 23 October. Here's what's blooming across Grafton in 2026.

Illuminate

Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October 2026, from 6.30 pm | See Park

The purple trees get an after-dark makeover at Illuminate, when See Park becomes a glowing wonderland of illuminated jacarandas. The trees will shine from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm each night, accompanied by live local music, dance performances, food trucks and a licensed bar.

Jaca Children's Party

Saturday, 24 October 2026, 10 am to 2 pm | See Park | Free

Little Jaca fans get a celebration of their own at the free Jaca Children's Party. Kids can dress up for fancy dress competitions, join interactive games, have their faces painted and watch balloon artists at work, with music and dance adding to the festivities. Every child who enters the costume competition receives a gift, while the traditional Royal Mini Party ballot will choose the festival’s Page Boy, Flower Girl, Prince and Princess.

Jacaranda Youth Connect Expo

Sunday, 25 October 2026, 10 am to 2 pm | See Park | Free

New for 2026, the Jacaranda Youth Connect Expo puts the Clarence Valley's young people firmly in the spotlight. The free event brings together youth-led market stalls, interactive workshops, sporting and community groups, local services and a stage devoted to young performers. Outdoor games and activities will keep the atmosphere lively beneath See Park's purple canopy.

River Dreaming

Friday, 30 October 2026, 10 am to 2 pm | Market Square | Free

The official festival begins with River Dreaming, a celebration of the Bundjalung, Yaegl and Gumbaynggirr nations and their connection to the Clarence Valley. Traditional dance, music and storytelling will share the square with interactive workshops and market stalls, giving visitors an opportunity to discover more about local First Nations culture, history, language and connection to Country.

Parade of Youth & Banner Competition

Saturday, 31 October 2026, from 9 am | Prince Street to Market Square | Free

Hundreds of local students and youth groups will fill Prince Street with colour during the Parade of Youth & Banner Competition. Schools, childcare centres and community groups create handmade banners inspired by the annual festival theme before marching from the Grafton Council offices to Market Square. Once the parade arrives, the square keeps buzzing with children's carnival activities, food trucks and entertainment.

Retrofest

Sunday, 1 November 2026, 10 am to 2 pm | Market Square

Pull out the polka dots because Retrofest is winding the clock back to the 1950s and 60s. Classic cars, bikes and caravans will roll into Market Square alongside rock 'n' roll dancing from the Big River Rockers and live music from Vanessa Lea and the Retrotrain. There's also a pin-up competition, beard and moustache contest and some seriously old-school Dagwood dog and fairy floss eating competitions.

Free Community Breakfast

Thursday, 5 November 2026, 7-9 am | Market Square | Free

Jacaranda Thursday starts early with a very good reason to get out of bed. The Free Community Breakfast serves up sausage and egg sandwiches, fruit and milk donated by local organisations before the biggest day on the festival calendar swings into action.

Jacaranda Thursday

Thursday, 5 November 2026, from 7 am to mid-afternoon | Grafton CBD and Market Square | Free

If you only experience one day of Jaca Fest, Jacaranda Thursday is the big one. More than 220 stalls are expected to line the closed-off CBD from the river end of Prince Street through to Pound Street, selling handmade goods, local products and plenty to eat.

Live music and performances run throughout the day, local businesses decorate their shopfronts and get involved in the fun, and the famous Rose Bowl competition sees businesses perform in Market Square from 12.30 pm. A local half-day public holiday begins at 1 pm, which should tell you everything you need to know about how seriously Grafton takes Jacaranda Thursday.

Venetian Carnival & Fireworks

Friday, 6 November 2026, from 7 pm | Memorial Park | Free

Friday night belongs to the Venetian Carnival, one of the festival's big family evenings on the banks of the Clarence River. Local performers will take to the stage while food trucks and a licensed bar keep everyone fed before eyes turn skyward for the fireworks at 9 pm.

Jacaranda Float Procession

Saturday, 7 November 2026, 5-7 pm | Prince Street | Free

This is the Jaca Fest tradition that has been stopping Grafton traffic since 1935. The Jacaranda Float Procession brings classic cars, elaborately decorated floats, schools, community groups and regional pipe bands together for a colourful journey along Prince Street.

The procession begins near the Grafton Showground before travelling towards Fitzroy Street, with thousands of spectators expected to line the route. Rain won't dampen the purple parade either, with the procession scheduled to go ahead rain or shine.

Party in the Park

Saturday, 7 November 2026, 7-10 pm | Market Square | Free

Once the last float has rolled past, follow the crowd to Party in the Park. Market Square will fill with food trucks, stalls and live entertainment for a free family-friendly celebration that keeps Saturday night humming. The 2026 performer line-up will be revealed closer to November.

Jacaranda Running Festival & Fun Run

Sunday, 8 November 2026, from 7 am | Memorial Park

The festival finishes with a final purple dash through town. The Jacaranda Running Festival offers a half marathon plus 10-kilometre, five-kilometre and two-kilometre events, taking runners and walkers beneath flowering jacarandas, across Grafton Bridge and alongside the Clarence River.

Families can tackle the two-kilometre fun run, with an optional burst of purple colour waiting at the finish in Memorial Park. Food trucks, coffee and music will be there for anyone who prefers cheering to running.

See Grafton's Famous Jacarandas

Of course, you don’t need an event ticket to enjoy the star attraction. Grafton's jacarandas generally begin flowering in early to mid-October, with the second half of the month usually bringing the most impressive displays. By early November, fallen flowers create those famous purple carpets beneath the trees. Blooming dates are determined by nature, so visitors can check live updates closer to their trip.

For more information and to see the full program, visit JacaFest. 

Where: Throughout Grafton
When:  30 October to 8 November 2026
Cost:    FREE and ticketed events

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