Kabloom is an annual festival that is typically held in autumn in Australia. — Photos: Visit Victoria
Millions of vibrant flowers greet visitors at the annual Tesselaar Kabloom: Festival Of Flowers in Victoria, Australia.
The festival – held at the town of Silvan which is about 40km from Melbourne – is now open to the public until April 21, including on weekends and public holidays. During the Australian school holidays, it offers a wide range of experiences and activities for visitors of all age groups; children aged 16 and under can enjoy these activities for free.
Apart from the beautifully curated gardens, this year’s festival will also feature special entertainment programmes, including performances by the Circus Oz group.
Every day, flower fairies, sprites and pixies will emerge from the enchanted woods and into the blossoming fields, showcasing daring acrobatic feats inspired by the beauty of nature.
Circus sideshows will run throughout the day, too, featuring woodland sprites showing off their tightrope walking skills above the blossoms, as well as other stunts like hand balancing, juggling, and creating human pyramids.
Each day will also have storytelling sessions, featuring the expressive storyteller Teague, a beloved character who has appeared in many of the previous Kabloom Festivals. These sessions are said to help children develop a love of folklore and the environment.
Throughout the festival, visitors will get to enjoy “Becky’s Bubble Show”, where a rainbow of soapy bubbles fills the air.
Meanwhile, folks who wish to fulfil their childhood dream of joining the circus can see if they have what it takes to be an entertainer, by taking part in a workshop run by Ruccis Circus at the festival.
Beautiful gladiolas in a variety of colours at the Tesselaar farm.
Paul Tesselaar, who runs the Tesselaar flower business that organises Kabloom, said in a statement: “As a third-generation flower farmer, I’m thrilled to see the Kabloom festival blossom into a vibrant celebration of nature, creativity, and community that just gets bigger and better every year.”
Tesselaar’s grandparents, Cees and Johanna, started their flower farm nearly 80 years ago after migrating to Australia from the Netherlands on the eve of World War II. They cultivated tulips and gladiolas as a tribute to their homeland, and soon, the business blossomed, just like their flowers.
The Tesselaar family has always been very active in the development of the flower farming industry in Australia, and even helped other Dutch immigrants to establish their own flower businesses. And since 2018, the company has been organising the flower festival in autumn, opening up its farm in Silvan to the public.
There are about 120 varieties of tulips and other flora at the farm, and visitors will be able to see them all. The festival is said to have attracted millions of tourists over the years, both local and international.
The festival is a ticketed event, and tickets are available for purchase from the official website (kabloom.com.au). While it may be too late for Malaysians to travel to Victoria for this year’s festival, you can easily plan for next year’s edition, as it is typically held in the month of April.
