Pinefest & River Festival

8 October 2022

When I moved Central Queensland over eighteen months ago I was impressed by the number of festivals and shows in the local region... Beef Australia every three years, Rockhampton River Festival, Capricorn Food & Wine Festival, Rockhampton Agricultural Show, The Village Festival, Capricon, Oktobest in both Emu Park and Rockhampton, Tropical Pinefest, Yeppoon Show, SoCal Music & Arts Festival, Capricorn Film Festival, Emu Park Festival of the Wind, and many more!

On Saturday 8 October two festivals were on with the Tropical Pinefest in Yeppoon and the Rockhampton River Festival. And I went to both! 

Yeppoon main street (James Street) is packed ahead of the Pinefest Grande Parade which
​ included the Queensland CWA knitted caravan (right) ​

​Tropical Pinefest is an initiative of the Yeppoon Lions Club to celebrate the local community across events over two weeks culminating in a Saturday Family Day including beachfront markets, 'Running of the Bulls', Grande Street Parade with pineapple themed floats, and fireworks. Other events throughout the week include a progressive dinner, cocktail party, exhibitions, movie nights, and local business promotions. Local pineapple growers, Tropical Pineapples under the Pure Gold Pineapples brand, sponsor the event and during the street parade give away free pineapples! 

Audiences interacting with the 'Song to the Earth' at the Rockhampton River Festival 

​The Rockhampton River Festival is a three-day festival held along the city's riverside precinct to celebrate art, music, culture, food and entertainment. The festival is hosted by the Rockhampton Regional Council after being established in 2014 to celebrate the area's beautiful surrounds and built heritage. There's plenty to do with multiple stages for music, workshops across the weekend, roving entertainment, street art, food trucks, plenty of free activities for the kids, and fireworks to cap off each night. 

So, what can agriculture learn from the arts?
​

• We need to be at the table​

I would have loved to visit a pineapple farm and learn more about the paddock to plate journey of this local and celebrated food during the multi-day Pinefest. Maybe there's an opportunity for a farm tour or long-lunch on farm to be added to this festival? I do want to acknowledge the beautiful, farm-fresh pineapples handed out generously by Pure Gold Pineapples during the Grande Parade! 

• ​We need to engage

​Engagement leads to education, and the arts do engagement so well! At the Rockhampton River Festival I learnt more about the local Darumbal people and their connection to the Tunuba River for arts, culture, food and entertainment. I explored the vastness of our planet through a seven meter spherical installation. I watched street art being created. I was able to engage with creators, makers and craftsman learning from them without feeling like I was being educated at. 

• We need to be more interactive

Colleagues commented the next day how great the activities were for the kids. From free workshops to interactive musical performances like Song to the Earth as pictured above. Activities ranged from those targeted to young children who could engage through walking on an interactive keyboard, or looking through a giant to kaleidoscope, to activities that engaged the whole family. Entry to both the Tropical Pinefest and the Rockhampton River Festival was free (subject to some events).