CHRONICLE COLUMN – THE AUTUMN FEAST
Last week, Dine Darling Downs and the Toowoomba Chamber in partnership with its Food and Agri Network Advisory Committee, asked the Toowoomba community to support our funding submission to create a new festival in the Autumn of 2024 for the region to be known as The Autumn Feast. and the Toowoomba Chamber, asked the Toowoomba community to support our funding submission to create a new festival in the Autumn of 2024 for the region to be known as The Autumn Feast.
Thank you, Toowoomba region, your support has been overwhelming, with over 150 letters of support to date and our digital outreach reaching more than 10,000 people in just 3 days.
What are we looking to create? An inaugural series of cultural events that:
- enhances our reputation as a foodie haven by highlighting our distinct regional flavours;
- continues to build our region’s standing as a premier tourist destination;
- supports our thriving arts community; and
- activates the Toowoomba Regional Council area with an array of music experiences.
Autumn Feast – To highlight what the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region has to offer.
Yes, the concept of the Autumn Feast is to encompass three elements – Food, Art, and Music all under one brand. The proposal is not just for the city of Toowoomba but is to include the surrounding towns and hamlets of our region. From Yarraman to Crows Nest to Pittsworth to Millmerran to Oakey and everywhere in between, the Autumn Feast will be for every regional community to enjoy and participate in.
We believe it will position our region as the place to be in Autumn, and we trust it will be the foundation of creating an Autumn hero experience, in this beautiful and captivating season. A stepping stone for the region to be known not only for our spring carnival but for another one of its four distinct seasons.
I mean, just imagine our region bathed in Autumn colour with vibrant art installations in shop windows, music filtering down sidewalks, foodie joints, streets and laneways filled with enthusiastic visitors from right across Australia, all here to sample our food, art and music created by locals.
A festival if you like to create food, arts, and music connections, discovered through engagement and collaboration to help businesses flourish. An event consistent with the Toowoomba Economic Development Strategy 1988. An event in harmony with the Southern Queensland Country Tourism vision and purpose. An event aligned with the Toowoomba Regional Council Tourism and Events Strategy 2016-2020.
The Autumn Feast is all about:
- supporting businesses to strengthen their long-term sustainability;
- further strengthening the valuable food, arts, and music sectors in the region;
- continuing to develop stronger linkages and engagement across the region’s food, arts, and music space;
- promoting the region as a destination;
- creating interest in and knowledge of the food, arts, and music in the region;
- showing off the local talent in our local food, art, and music industries;
- providing opportunities for a broad spectrum of the local community to participate in the event; and
- supporting local charities and not for profit businesses, particularly those involved in supplying food, arts, and music to the local community, including those in need.
Yes, we are dreaming BIG! Our dream is that this will become an annual event that matches the Carnival of Flowers in terms of community and economic benefit for the region.
Wish us luck in our funding submission, keep sending in your letters of support and engaging on our social media channels. The funding will enable us to deliver a feast of food, arts, and music in Autumn 2024.
And again, thank you for your support.
Todd Rohl, Chief Executive Officer
