I've always thought that the best thing one can do with a pumpkin is turn it into yummy tummy-warming soup. Forgive me. I was wrong. Folk in
Goomeri know the best thing to do with a pumpkin is to celebrate it ... and then roll it down a hill.
The Great Australian Pumpkin Roll is the highlight of the
Goomeri Pumpkin Festival, held annually on the last Sunday of May.
This year marks the festival's 14th year and on the 30th of May, the 500 or so community-minded people of Goomeri will welcome thousands of tourists into their town, just as they do every year.
Visitors can purchase some wares from one of the 200 market stalls; enjoy the live entertainment, street parade and delicious pumpkin cuisine; and partake in some pumpkin-themed novelty competitions like Pumpkin Bowls, Pumpkin Pull and the Pumpkin Pageant, where entrants dress to impress in their best pumpkin costume. And, of course, there's the hailed Pumpkin Roll! Feel free to watch the frivolity, but don't be afraid to join in – there's a $1000 cash prize up for grabs! (BYO pumpkin or purchase one at the festival.)
There will be an all-day barbeque at the Food Hall in Dickinson Park, and billy tea, damper and stew will be on offer too.
Children will appreciate the festival rides and amusements, and they won't say no to a camel ride!
And what's stopping you from spending an extra few days in town? Take a scenic drive through the area, visit some
wineries and unwind.
