DIGNITRIES from Stanthorpe and across the Southern Downs turned out on Thursday to launch the Snowflakes in Stanthorpe festival.
This three-day community event, under the management of the Stanthorpe Agricultural Society and the Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 1-3 July.
The event will include real snow and an ice skating rink and much more.
The official launch for the event was on Thursday 18 February at the Stanthorpe Gallery.
Organisers told the invited guests that the event had significant benefits for regional tourism specifically to accommodation, wineries, eateries and retail.
The Snowflakes committee extended an invitation to Warwick and other regional centres to come along and see what Snowflakes in Stanthorpe is all about and how they could get involved.
Snowflakes in Stanthorpe is a celebration of all things cold, in the coldest town in Queensland.
It was originally the brainchild of four energetic young women in 2013.
They thought Stanthorpe should build on this reputation and celebrate this climatic phenomenon in a day-long community event to bring visitors and tourists to Stanthorpe.
An event was held on 3 July 2013 and included markets along the creek, activities in town and a snow making machine available for kids to have a snowman making competition and throw some snowballs around.
An estimated 300 people quickly turned into 3000 showing that Queenslanders continue to have a fascination with snow in winter.
Similarly on 17 July the population of Stanthorpe swelled as visitors from neighbouring towns and Brisbane descended to see, play, touch, feel, photograph, throw and marvel in the snow.
Organisers believe Snowflakes in Stanthorpe has the potential to be a winter festival like no other and perfectly complements the other festivals the town and region is known for – Apple n Grape, Prima Vera, Brass Monkey, Opera in the Vineyard, and Sutton’s Cider.
