Team assembled to help with new-look floral parade

ONE of the signature events at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is getting a major overhaul this year.

The Grand Central Floral Parade creative team includes (from left) Michelle Wiersma, Jessi Rabnott, Anna Bartlett, Joy Heylen, London Heir and Grant Lehmann. Picture: Kevin Farmer

ONE of the signature events at the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is getting a major overhaul this year.

The Grand Central Floral Parade, which was officially launched last week with "Secret Garden” as the theme, will offer extra support for groups that want to enter a float into the parade this year.

Creative director Joy Heylen said she had an entire team on hand to assist float-makers for a variety of needs.

The team will work out of the Door and Lock Centre on Brook St until Thursday, from 7am to 8pm each day.

"My team have individual skills like animatronics creator at Warner Bros, sculpturing, fine arts, props, conceptual design,” she said.

"What we're doing is moving our props over to our creative hub and that's a place where participants get their creative direction from us.

"The way we're doing things this year is totally new.”

Floral Parade launch

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Ms Heylen, who has designed and built several floats for the parade in the past, said participants would be able to park their floats in the warehouse ahead of the event in September.

"We've gone a little bit further - the council is giving us the opportunity to build the floats at the shed,” she said.

"A lot of community groups have complained about having space to build the floats so we've helped to fix that.”

Ms Heylen said the changes by the Toowoomba Regional Council deserved praise.

"We need to acknowledge the council and the work that they've done,” she said.

For entry closing dates and criteria, call the Carnival of Flowers on 46886661.

Originally published as Team assembled to help with new-look floral parade