70th Annual National Cherry Festival

The Hilltops Region is gearing up for the biggest event of the year, with the 70th National Cherry Festival little over a week away.

This year’s event, which will be held in Young on Friday December 6 through to Sunday December 8, is shaping up to be one of the biggest ever, being a milestone year.

The festival begins outdoors on Friday night with live music and a fireworks display.

The Saturday program offers an interesting range of activities with buskers, market and produce stalls, entertainment, live bands, and iconic features like the cherry pie eating competition.

The day’s activity peaks with one of the state’s longest street parades, followed by the queen/king coronation.

Pick cherries in a local orchard and enjoy award winning wines on a visit through the local cellar doors and wineries. Catch up on some local history at the museum and the Chinese Tribute Garden.

This year there is a Hilltops Heritage Rally at Carrington Park featuring Australian made historic machinery, tractors, trucks, steam and stationary engines and market stalls.

Sunday’s program centres at the park with a Big Breakfast, bush poets, working dog demonstrations, cherry pip spit competition, wood chopping and the Home Grown Produce and Home-Made Craft Market.

The Young business community has been congratulated for their staunch support of the festival in this Jubilee Year. While organisers expect many interstate and overseas visitors, a big attendance of day trippers from Sydney, Canberra, Wagga, Orange, Goulburn, Griffith and Dubbo will attend too.

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• National Cherry Festival