FOR over three decades, the Bellingen Plant Fair has been a stalwart of the Mid North Coast region, celebrating plants, nature, and sustainability.
Since its inception in 1990, the popular event has been organised by the Bellingen Environment Centre (BEC), hosting two major markets annually in Autumn and Spring.
The latest iteration was held on Saturday, 14 March.
The fair draws around 3,000 visitors and 100 stallholders, offering an impressive variety of native, rare, and exotic plants.
BEC Secretary Catherine Jones told News Of The Area, “This is our 38th year, we’ve only had to cancel a handful of events in all that time, due to Covid and Cyclone Alfred.”
She remarked upon the continued success of the event, including its popularity with participating businesses.
“The stallholders really enjoy the day, they say this is their favourite market of the whole year,” Catherine said.
Like many large community events, the fair wouldn’t go ahead without a committed volunteer base.
“We are blessed with our team, they start at 4.30am to let the stallholders in,” Catherine said.
“Each year they come back and want to do the same jobs because they love working here.”
This extends to the more-than-twenty home bakers who have been supplying cakes for the fundraising stall for years.
Beyond the plants, attendees enjoy live music throughout the day, local food vans, raffles and workshops – covering topics like hot composting and living waste-free.
The next plant fair will take place on the second Saturday of September.
By Jessica MILLER
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