Spring has arrived Down Under, and with it comes Floriade 2025 — the Southern Hemisphere’s largest celebration of flowers and a dazzling display of color, creativity, and culture in the heart of Canberra, Australia’s capital.
Now in its 38th year, Floriade has transformed Canberra’s Commonwealth Park into a living canvas of more than one million blooms. The month-long festival (September 13 – October 12) features immersive gardens, art installations, family activities, and free general admission, making it one of Australia’s most anticipated annual events.
Often described as the Southern Hemisphere’s equivalent to Washington, DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival, or Carlsbad’s The Flower Fields, Floriade offers American travelers the rare chance to step into spring just as autumn begins in North America for an irresistible shoulder-season escape.
“The production of Floriade is amazing. We plant over a million plants, and they’re all planted by hand — half of those are bulbs and the other half are annual flowers,” says Tim Howard, horticultural expert and Head Gardener of Floriade. “Floriade is almost a continuous process — it’s a one-year show from design to the final product you see in the park.”
What’s New in 2025: Nature Meets ScienceADVERTISEMENTThis year’s theme, Nature’s Laboratory, invites visitors to explore the surprising intersections of horticulture and science. Highlights include live presentations, stargazing and rocket-launching, and interactive workshops that blend art and science.
NightFest: Floriade After Dark
From October 2–5, Floriade lights up the night with NightFest, a four-evening after-hours celebration featuring illuminated garden beds, fire shows, cabaret, roving performers, and live music from award-winning artists.
Beyond the Blooms
Visitors can pair Floriade with Canberra’s year-round attractions: award-winning cool-climate wineries, behind-the-scenes museum access, and up-close encounters with native wildlife like kangaroos and koalas. September is an ideal time to explore the Canberra District wine region. The cool-climate wine region, just 30 minutes from the capital’s cultural landmarks, is emerging as an under-the-radar wine destination, offering intimate, personalized cellar-door tastings (often with the winemakers), farm-to-table dining experiences, and distinctive, award-winning Shiraz and Riesling in a setting still under the radar for most international travelers.
Enjoy Canberra’s world-class exhibitions at the city’s national cultural attractions including the National Gallery of Australia (custodian of the world’s largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection), National Portrait Gallery, Australian War Memorial, and the Australian Parliament House. At the National Portrait Gallery, spring comes to life through art. The In Bloom exhibition showcases the symbolism of flowers in portraiture, revealing stories of identity, memory, and transformation. Featuring works by celebrated Australian artists, it offers a striking and contemplative complement to the beauty of the season unfolding outside.
Getting There
Located just a short flight from Melbourne or three-hour drive from Sydney, Canberra is easier than ever to reach. New Fiji Airways flights also connect North America to Canberra via a tropical Nadi stopover, alongside existing American Airlines and Qantas services from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and Dallas.
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Source: breakingtravelnews.com
