When Grafton’s streets erupt in purple each spring, the Clarence Valley town throws Australia’s oldest floral festival. Thousands of jacaranda trees — planted across the town over more than a century — bloom in unison, and the 2026 Jacaranda Festival, its 92nd year, runs 30 October to 8 November 2026.
What’s on
Ten days of markets, street parades, the Jacaranda Thursday community day (5 November 2026), live music, a floral procession and the famous carpet of fallen purple petals in parks like See Park and along the riverbank. Most of the festival is free and family-friendly.
Getting there
Grafton sits on the Clarence River in the Northern Rivers, about 4 hours from Brisbane and a longer drive or short flight from Sydney. Pair it with the beaches around Yamba and a Northern Rivers road trip, and see more spring colour in our travel guides.
