Granny Smith Festival, 1986

The revival of the Granny Smith Festival occurred within the context of Carnivale.

In September 1985 Ryde Municipal Council organised a Ryde Festival in association with Carnivale ’85. This was held at Ryde Park on Sunday 11 September, 1985. By the end of that year, as Council’s Community Affairs and Information Committee planned for next year’s event, the idea of reviving the Granny Smith Festival had been conceived, as Alderman Jordan was appointed chairman of the organising committee of the Granny Smith Festival/Carnivale 1986.

The festival for 1986 was advertised thus:

            CARNIVALE ‘86

            GRANNY SMITH FESTIVAL

The Northern District Times 7 May 1986 recorded that:

Carnivale is a state-wide multi-cultural festival celebrated at a local level every spring.

This year Ryde Council is combining Carnivale with a new local ‘Granny Smith Festival’. A gala day centred on Ryde Park will take place in late September as part of these celebrations.

By the time the event actually happened, Granny Smith had become the prominent part. The logo for the event was a large apple with a bite taken out of its right side. Similar to a major software company?? Granny Smith Festival was in large font and Carnivale ’86 in much smaller font.

There were nine days of major events from 13-21 September, preceded on Saturday 6 September by a Granny Smith Square Dance and a Ryde Mayoral Dinner Dance. There was a variety of activities: church services, exhibitions and historical displays. A procession from Watt Avenue, Top Ryde to Ryde Park (via Smith Street, Pope, Tucker Street, Blaxland Road and Princes Street) culminated in a family gala day at Ryde Park on 21 September.

Both Ryde Council and the NSW Government were its sponsors.