New crown for Jacaranda Queen

The Daily Examiner

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Grafton Jacaranda Festival Queen 2009

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THE 75th Grafton Jacaranda Festival has officially begun with the unveiling of the new crown.

The new crown was lit for the first time on Thursday night and illuminates the clocktower in Prince Street.

Jacaranda Festival manager Libby Pigg said Country Energy donated the LED lighting crown as a gift to celebrate the past 75 years of Jacaranda festivities.

“Traditionally the Queen's crown signifies the highest honoured bestowed upon a young girl of our city,” she said.

“We will light up the Jacaranda city with this new crown as a symbolic representation of this honour and also as a sign heralding to the people that Jacaranda time is near.”

Shirley Adams has been involved in the Jacaranda celebrations since the 1970s and said replacement of the old crown was timely.

“The old crown was a bit tired and needed replacing,” she said.

“From the 1950s to today there has only been three crowns so it was magical to be part of this,” she said.

Mrs Adams said that one of her fondest memories of Jacaranda was the street dancing.

“Everyone joined in, from the young to the old,” she said.

“We danced down the street without a worry. Everyone was happy and it was very unique.

“It would be really nice to see the Jacaranda Festival come back to that.”