The Hills Shire Orange Blossom Festival is juicer than ever!

The Hills Shire will be treated to a month-long celebration of food, markets, art shows, exhibitions, live music and acts when The Hills Shire Orange Blossom Festival returns in September.

The community favourite, now in its 49th year, boasts a line-up of events and activities bigger than ever before, keeping locals and visitors entertained week after week with rich and vibrant stories of cultural heritage, local achievement and diversity in The Hills.

This year’s Council Community Fun Day will be held on Sunday, September

16 at the historic Bella Vista Farm and will be accompanied by an array of community events held over the full

month, including Jazz at The Pines, Seniors’ Dance, Bella Vista Farm Open Day, Pawsitive Steps Towards Mental Health and Wellbeing Expo, The Orange Blossom Festival Annual Art Awards, Park Feast, The Art of Bonsai and many more.

Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne, said The Hills Shire Orange Blossom Festival program continued to grow and flourish, and 2018 would be no different.

“What a fantastic way to celebrate the end of winter and the start of spring than by attending one of the great events that we have on offer as part of The Hills Shire’s Orange Blossom Festival,” Mayor Byrne said.

“The month long celebration is an opportunity for our friends, family and fellow neighbours to come together and enjoy all that our region has to offer with food demonstrations, children’s activities, community festivals, music events and so much more. Attendees (literally) get a taste of what’s great about The Hills and what they can experience during the year, including participating in extracurricular activities, joining sporting or volunteer groups and enjoying our main attractions.

“I look forward to this year’s Festival and I hope to see you at one of these great events – making unforgettable memories in the process,” Mayor Byrne added.

Council’s Community Fun Day at The Farm will include eight zones which attendees can explore. Each zone promotes activity and play, and allows visitors on the day to meet like-minded people, groups and learn about their local community and how they can get more involved.

The crowd-pleasing food trucks return to the community fun day to tantalise the tastebuds, while the best of Hills local talent will be performing live on the Local Blooms Stage.

To keep the younger kids entertained, Council has made sure the day will be non-stop fun with a range of activities, including ball pits, activity gardens, slides, games, tunnels, face painting and special performances by Splash Dance, The Aston Martinis and Sydney Swing Katz.

Older kids will be excited to hear there is an entire zone dedicated to them with thrilling amusement rides and activities, which span from breakdancing to rock climbing and a silent disco.

Green thumbs and garden enthusiasts can learn more about conservation, and children can get their hands dirty by taking part in an edible garden workshop, planting their own seeds and getting creative with nature play.

Hype Band returns to the Sydney Hills with another exciting catalogue of rock/ pop acoustic renditions, and sports enthusiasts have an opportunity to show off their skills in AFL, cricket, basketball, netball, soccer and so much more.

And finally, a fireworks display will light up the sky and wrap up the day’s festivities.