Rollingstone ready to go totally tropical at Pineapple Festival

Get ready for all things pineapple at the Rollingstone Pineapple Festival this Saturday, where you can eat, cook, toss, race, and even dress up like a pineapple.

Alice McIntosh, 11, from Mount Louisa, can't wait for this year's Rollingstone Pineapple Festival. Picture: Evan Morgan

Participants can eat pineapple, cook pineapple, buy pineapple, toss a pineapple, race with a pineapple and dress pineapple-themed at this year’s popular Rollingstone Pineapple Festival.

The festival president Suzi Vincent said the event attracted 5000 people last year with more expected this Saturday to celebrate everything pineapple at the Rollingstone Community Centre.

“The festival is happening this Saturday from nine until four and people can expect a very fun, filled, economical day, free entry, but we do collect a gold coin donation to go towards a community project. All the kids’ amusements are free,” she said.

Alice McIntosh, 11, from Mount Louisa, can't wait for this year's Rollingstone Pineapple Festival. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We’ve got lots of fresh pineapples for sale, lots of pineapple drinks. We’ve got a pineapple cocktail in our licensed area, and lots of the foodies are having pineapple on their menu in some form.”

She said the festival helped to promote the pineapple growing area at Rollingstone, 50km north of Townsville.

“It’s just such a wonderful fruit, and it’s our main primary industry in this area, so we like to showcase it and celebrate it.

The president said the festival kept getting bigger and bigger each year.

Contestants chow down during the pineapple eating contest at the 2023 Pineapple Festival. Picture: Natasha Emeck

“Last year we had about 5000 people attend, and we’re thinking of more this year. So we’re actually extending things like the time it was nine to three last year. So now we’re extending it for longer, putting more things in place for a bigger crowd.”

She said one of the popular events was the Pineapple-themed Best Dressed competition.

“I had a photo from a lady who’s got pineapples on her fingernails. Somebody got a pineapple tattoo last year with a broom because they won the broom toss competition at our festival – so people really embrace it.

“Any of our profits go back to the local community. So it’s just a wonderful celebration of community.”

For more information, go to https://www.rollingstonepineapplefestival.com.au/

Originally published as Rollingstone ready to go totally tropical at Pineapple Festival