Griffith’s annual Citrus Sculptures has received a boost of $10,000 in marketing funds from the NSW Government with the event named a NSW Regional Flagship Event for 2015. The grant will provide Griffith City Council and the Visitor Information Centre with the opportunity to raise the profile of the event with the aim of attracting visitors from outside the region, according to Greg Lawrence, Manager Tourism and Economic Development. “This flagship funding will allow the Festival of Gardens committee, which manages the event, to raise the profile of the sculptures and help put Griffith on the national map,” Mr Lawrence said. “Festivals are about showcasing your local region, finding a point of difference and attracting people to town which boosts local business and the economy. To be able to have marketing funds to reach audiences beyond our region is very gratifying,” he added. “This is a very exciting outcome for Griffith and the Citrus Sculpture event not only for the funds but for the state-wide recognition this wonderful community event has now received,” said Griffith City Councillor Pat Cox, Chair of the Festival of Gardens Committee. “The Citrus Sculptures have grown each year they have been held since they first went on display 19 years ago. In 2014 there were 65 sculptures lining Banna Avenue compared to five sculptures in the early days.” Minister for Regional Tourism John Barilaro said the NSW Government is supporting and growing the tourism industry through investing in marketing, promotion, and product development for regional tourism businesses. “The financial support helps to grow local economies across regional NSW and contribute to the NSW Government’s goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure by 2020,” Mr Barilaro said. Member for Murrumbidgee Adrian Piccoli said, “Not only are the citrus sculptures themselves a tourist attraction, the day spent erecting the sculptures have become a community event that involves families. The children love being a part of the creative process. I congratulate the Committee that draws this event together each year, without their work the event simply could not keep on keeping on“ The Citrus Sculptures is a unique two-week event, which attracts thousands of visitors to Griffith in October every year. The sculptures are made of more than 100,000 oranges and erected by an army of 700 volunteers including schools, community and church groups and local business houses. The sculptures range in design from the extra creative, to intricate, and even quirky. “The sculptures all have one thing in common – they positively reinforce the region as a major food production centre The Riverina is the Nation’s food bowl,” Mr Lawrence said. “There is perfect symmetry between the festival and the citrus industry with the Riverina producing 30% of the nation’s oranges. Griffith is all about food, wine and celebration.” The Regional Flagship Events Program is administered by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. For more information visit destinationnsw.au/tourism/business-development-resources/funding-and-grants/regional-flagship-events-program If you would like to participate in the Citrus Sculptures this year, please contact the Griffith Visitor Information Centre on 1800 681 141 or pop in to register your interest with Mirella Guidolin. For more information, log onto visitgriffith.au.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:22:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015