Orange Blossom Festival

Friday 11 September to Monday 28 September 2009

The Orange Blossom Festival began in 1969 as a humble garden and footpath competition and has since grown to be one of Australia’s largest community-owned and run festivals.

The Festival showcases The Hills Shire’s vibrancy, creativity and community spirit. This year’s Festival will include events that cater for all ages and interests such as music, arts, food fairs, seminars, exhibitions, sporting and animal events, open days, tours, seniors and youth activities, fairs and fireworks.

The Orange Blossom Festival attracts thousands of people each year during the Festival’s 18 days and brings together local community-based events under one banner, offering residents and visitors a large variety of events to enjoy including fairs, senior and youth activities, open days, sporting events, art and garden exhibitions, concerts, food fairs, information seminars, fireworks and much more.

Associated Events - Register Your Event Now!

Event Registration has been extended to Friday 26 June

Is your club, community group, school or organisation planning an event during Friday 11 and Monday 28 September? Then why not become part of the 2009 Orange Blossom Festival. The Festival is a fantastic way to promote your event or activity to the residents and visitors of The Hills Shire. It is an ideal platform to introduce them to what is available for them to see and do in the area, as well as share in the vibrant community spirit our Shire is famous for.

To register you event as part of this year's Orange Blossom Festival simply download a copy the 2009 Associated Event Application Form and return it, along with the registration fee of $115.00 to the Festival Office by Friday 26 June 2009 to secure your place in official Orange Blossom Festival program.

For further information please contact The Hills Shire Council's Events Team on 9843 0532 or email orangeblossom@thehills.nsw.gov.au

2009 Associated Event Application Form (45.69kB)

Volunteers

The Orange Blossom Festival is one of the largest festivals in Australia and is run by the community, for the community. The Hills Shire community has an incredible volunteering spirit and a large volunteer network.

It takes thousands of these local volunteers, from various groups, clubs and organisations all over the Shire, working together to make this Festival happen each year.

So who are they?

Volunteers from throughout the community play a major role in the growth of the Festival by including their events within the Festival calendar. This ensures there is a diverse range of events for people to enjoy and provides the community groups with a forum for fundraising.

These groups include service clubs, community organisations, schools, sporting clubs and special interest groups. Many dedicated people are willing to give up many hours of their own time to make these events a success. Some just volunteer on the day, but most are involved from the beginning and some planning commences at least 12 months in advance.

Would you like to get involved?

If you are interested in becoming a Festival volunteer, simply email orangeblossom@thehills.nsw.gov.au with your details.

Orange Blossom Festival Sponsors

The annual Orange Blossom Festival is a unique and exciting marketing opportunity for your organisation to raise its profile in one of Sydney’s fastest growing and more affluent municipalities. In addition to publicity opportunities from signage, news coverage and community attendance to events you sponsor, your involvement allows you to link your company’s image with one of the longest running and largest community run Festivals in Australia.

Many events offer the opportunity to become a contributing sponsor and thus align your company with major sponsors who comprise some of Australia’s largest companies such as: Sydney Morning Herald, Lend Lease, Commonwealth Bank, McDonald’s ® Australia, Woolworths, Gloria Jeans Coffee, Subaru, LJ Hooker, Sun Herald, St George Bank, Living Choice and HomeWorld.

The Orange Blossom Festival is budgeted on a “not for profit” basis. The annual budget is approximately $250,000, with 90% of these funds being raised through corporate sponsorship, ticket sales and community donations. Without your support the Festival cannot exist and the benefits offered to Festival Sponsors reflect both the importance of the sponsorship role.

No matter what your contribution may be, Sponsorship of the Orange Blossom Festival presents a highly effective means of reaching a wide and diverse audience, while at the same time giving something back to the community.

Sponsorship creates awareness, increases loyalty and reinforces a positive image of your company among potential customers in both the Hills community and visitors to the Festival from greater Sydney.

If you would like information on becoming a sponsor of the 2009 Orange Blossom Festival please contact the Events and Sponsorship Co-ordinator on 9843 0118 or email orangeblossom@thehills.nsw.gov.au

2008 Orange Blossom Festival Sponsors included: Castle Towers, Amory Catering, McDonald’s ® Australia, Hillside Hotel, Hills Shire Times, Stockland, Hills News, Northern News, Norwest Land, Davin Griffiths-Jones School of Performing Arts, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Hillsbus, Living Choice, Carlile Swimming, Castle Hill RSL Club, Colin Lee Coaching and Training, Dural Country Club and Baulkham Hills Landscapes.