Kyneton Daffodil & Arts Festival

Along with beautiful daffodils throughout the town and surrounding countryside, visitors can take in art exhibitions, performances, ferret racing, the Kyneton Dog Dash and Scarecrow Competition. Many local gardens are open to visitors and the Spring Flower Show presents the signature blooms of the Festival. The Festival of One Act Plays, now in its 63rd year, brings performers from throughout Victoria. Dancing, music and book events add to the eleven days of festivities. The Grand Parade on the last day of the Festival features bands, dancers, floats, cars and vintage vehicles. The Festival closes with a fair, performances, activities in Kyneton’s main streets and an after-party at Major Tom’s on Piper Street.

Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival History

The history of the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival can be traced back to the late Alister Clark of ‘Glenara’ at Bulla. Alister is the best known and most successful rose and daffodil breeders between the two World Wars. He inspired and assisted the late Hugh Dettmann of Kyneton to begin a daffodil breeding program in this region. Hugh Dettmann in turn assisted the late Eve Murray of Langley to begin growing daffodils from seed.

By the early 1950s the Kyneton Daffodil Show was as keenly contested as any show in the state of Victoria. Sometimes the Kyneton Show would coincide with the peak season of growers all over the state. Then Kyneton would have the biggest and best show in Victoria, which gave our town a reputation for growing daffodils.

When it was finally decided to hold an annual Kyneton festival, the daffodil seemed the obvious symbol for our town. So began the planting of massed daffodils along the main thoroughfares, and the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival was born.