Alvin, left, and Avo Joe, right, helped Deputy Mayor Linda Little, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and Mayor Kathy Duff officially open the 2026 Blackbutt Avocado Festival on Saturday morning
September 18, 2026
A little drizzle at the start of the 2026 Blackbutt Avocado Festival didn’t dampen enthusiasm for the annual celebration of the town’s most famous fruit.
As the sun came out last Saturday, so did the crowds eager to take part in the many fun activities on offer in the Blackbutt Memorial Hall and along the nearby Rail Trail precinct.
There were stalls to explore, avocado-themed souvenirs to buy and lots of wacky avocado games to try for a chance to win cash prizes.
Visitors were invited to test their strength by lifting bags of them (they may be small, but try holding a bag for some time!)
Then there were wheelbarrow races, avo tossing, avo eating and the special Golden Avo hunt.
The always popular Avo rolling competition offered a $1000 top prize!
Activities on the stage included live music by Amber Goldsmith and the Hard Yakka Rock Show.
The “Avo Drop” parachute jump went ahead as planned … with the skydiver landing near the lucky cups numbered 82, 186 and 211.
Mascot Alvin the Avocado joined the Burnett Celtic Pipes and Drums, the “Dandy Horses” and other local groups in the parade through the festival grounds.
[Photos: Pitt Family & Kathy Duff]
Hear ye, hear ye! Did you see the dandy horse races? Members of the Queensland Penny Farthing and Historical Cycle Club tested their racing skills on these replica 19th century-style balance bikes (no pedals, no brakes, no fear!)The Blackbutt RSL Sub-Branch brought out these World War II-era Chev Blitz buggies for the vehicle displayThe Blackbutt Line Dancers demonstrated their skills on stageNanango’s Burnett Celtic Pipes and Drums played in the festival area and also took part in the paradeThis 1978 Ford Thunderbird stood out at the car display, always a popular part of the festivalChainsaw artist Luke Sheehan (LD Spiders) had the crowd intrigued as he worked on carving out a yellow-tailed cockatoo perched on an avocado!Cr Linda Little caught up with some of the hard-working volunteers from the Blackbutt-Yarraman QCWAVolunteers from the Blackbutt Benarkin Lions Club were working hard at the sausage sizzle, raising funds for the Childhood Cancer Research FoundationYou “guac” my world …. Cr Jane Erkens, Mayor Kathy Duff, Cr Danita Potter and Cr Linda Little made some new friends at the Avocado Festival
