Carnival of Flowers postpones key live music event

THE Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is likely to feature no live music of any kind, with organisers to postpone planned parkland entertainment.

THE Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is likely to feature no live music of any kind, with organisers to postpone planned parkland entertainment.

Following the cancellation of the Food and Wine Festival as part of changes due to COVID-19, the Toowoomba Regional Council announced in July it would instead feature local musicians and other entertainers at Laurel Bank Park and Queens Park to match the floral displays.

But that planned entertainment also appears to have been canned, after a letter from TRC events co-ordinator Kate Scott was sent to potential performers last week.

Ms Scott's letter detailed the logistic issues with running live music in a space that had to meet COVID-19 restrictions.

"Writing this letter fills me with sadness. We unfortunately have had to make the decision today to postpone our Parkland Entertainment musician sessions and they will not be part of Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers in 2020," she wrote.

"It is a priority of Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers that our public park's feature floral displays remain unfenced and free to attend while ensuring everyone has the ability to physically distance and be COVID-safe.

"The inclusion of live music within the parks requires unmanageable COVID Safe parameters for audience contact tracing including limited (small capacity) ticketed or timed viewing sessions in fenced off areas, which would completely change the look and feel of your performance and remove the atmosphere your act would provide across the park.

"We considered many options for Parkland Entertainment including the possibility of a free ticketed event in a fenced area, however we had to plan for people who would stop and listen to music outside the fenced area who would not be covered by the contact tracing requirement."

Ms Scott's letter said organisers would hope to run parkland land entertainment early next year.

"It is my hope that with more negotiations that we may be able to hold performances during Summer Tunes events, which we would like to start in January 2021," she wrote.

"We understand the disappointment you would be experiencing at this time, however the safety and health of performers and audience is our priority.

"Please know that we did everything within our power to keep the live music performances at this year's carnival, however it won't be feasible."

The axing of live music was one of the biggest alterations to this year's carnival, along with the cancellation of the floral parade.

Instead, floats will be on display at Grand Central Shopping Centre for people to enjoy.

The Chronicle Garden Competition will this year be renamed the Garden for Good, which will be a digital showcase of the region's best gardens.

For more details on what will be available at the Carnival of Flowers this year, click here or check out the website at tcof.com.au.