{"id":157801,"date":"2016-09-13T03:33:37","date_gmt":"2016-09-12T17:33:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=157801"},"modified":"2020-10-05T15:12:30","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T05:12:30","slug":"did-you-ava-good-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/09\/13\/did-you-ava-good-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Did You Ava Good Time?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Alvin The Avocado with Amanda Wilcox, from Kate’s Avocados … Alvin was keeping a close eye on the avocado rolling competition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 13, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blackbutt and Benarkin residents have a new town song – and a new sport to practise for next year – following the 7th annual Bloomin’ Beautiful festival at the weekend.<\/p>\n

This year the word “avocado” was tacked on to the festival title for the first time to reflect the fruit’s growing importance to the local region.<\/p>\n

There were avocado-themed cooking demonstrations, avocado plants for sale and most, importantly, an avocado rolling competition with cash prizes.<\/p>\n

After a series of heats, the 24 closest-to-the-pin finalists in the junior and senior avocado rolling competitions competed for the big dollars, with plenty of calls of “no pressure” from the crowd.<\/p>\n

The winning roll in the senior competition was by\u00a0Kerri Gierke, from Googa, whose avocado finished within centimetres of the pin, taking out the $1000 top prize.<\/p>\n

Other popular highlights of this year’s festival included a street parade, which attracted a long line of entries as well as a good crowd lining the highway, and the string of market stalls at the rail head.<\/p>\n

Also popular this year was the headline concert by the famous Kransky Sisters who brought their unique blend of humour and music to the Blackbutt Memorial Hall on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

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On Saturday afternoon, families gathered in Memorial Hall for the official launch of country singer Josh Arnold’s latest “town” song, “It’s Bloomin’ Beautiful”, (see below).<\/strong><\/p>\n

This video music project features students from Blackbutt and Benarkin State schools as well as cameos by local residents.<\/p>\n

The students performed the song live, as well as several other of Josh’s compositions in a mini-concert.<\/p>\n

Josh launched his Small Town Culture program in 2007 and since then has been collaborating with school students all over Queensland to create original music from their ideas.<\/p>\n

In the South Burnett, Josh has now made videos and songs for Yarraman, Kilkivan, the Barambah cluster of schools, and Wondai.<\/p>\n

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The famous Kransky Sisters, from Esk (!), hitched a ride on a fire engine in the parade before they took to the stage in Memorial Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Kerri Gierke, from Googa, won the $1000 senior avocado roll first prize; Evelyn Green, from the Bunya Nut Cafe in Blackbutt, was runner-up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Seth Williams, 5, from Brisbane, won the $150 junior avocado roll first prize; Kayla Whitford, 12, from Benarkin was runner-up<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, with South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell … Mrs Frecklington officially opened the festival<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Kingaroy chef Jason Ford shared avocado-themed recipes in Memorial Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Josh Arnold, from “Small Town Culture” unveiled the new Blackbutt and Benarkin song<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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David Eaton, from the BBBF committee, shows the correct way to roll an avocado<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Sandra Ehrlich and Trish Jacobson, from Blackbutt-Yarraman QCWA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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“Mr Q” (Gavin and Tony Cisneros) were keeping the music going in Les Muller Park despite a shower or two early in the day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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“Wonder Woman” Summer Murphy, from Cooyar, with Shannon Murphy, 10 (Superman), Jesse Jones, 13, from Blackbutt (Spiderman) and Aidan Murphy, 12, (Batman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Connie Mustapic and Amelia, 4, shared an umbrella when rain tumbled down<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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L’il Squirt, the mini fire engine, was taking children for rides around the festival grounds<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Debra Neilsen and Cassandra Fleming, from Nukku, and Shirley Turner and Linda Reid, from Mitchelton, picked a good spot in the middle of the street to watch the Ken Mills Toyota street parade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Chris Roberts, from Blackbutt, with his daughter’s 1951 A90 Austin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Trudi and Michael Jenkins, from Taromeo Rural Fire Brigade, were enjoying browsing the stalls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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New Blackbutt residents Sharon and Douglas Grant, with “Havana”, were watching the parade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Josh Arnold & the pupils from Blackbutt & Benarkin State Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\n