The Alexandra Blossom Festival may have been cancelled but its legacy lives on in community spirit.
The 65th festival was cancelled last month because of Covid-19 alert level settings, but that did not stop Alexandra schools, businesses and streets celebrating in their own way.
The storefront of Alexandra Four Square was covered in almost 20,000 paper blossoms, while at The Terrace School more than 100 year 7 and 8 pupils held their own blossom festival parade on the last day of term.
Robots, mermaids, race cars, clowns, decorated scooters and bikes and even a moving toaster paraded their way through throngs of junior pupils eagerly watching from the sidelines.
Blossom festival event manager Martin McPherson attended the parade as an honorary guest, lending his expertise to assist in judging the children’s creations.
In Gregg St, residents determined the festival would go on and held their own street blossom festival, complete with truck parade, street performers, senior queens and bagpiper.
Gregg St organiser Pat Shanks said she came up with the idea after many of the neighbourhood children were disappointed at the cancellation of the annual festival and she wanted to lift their spirits.
“It’s good to get everybody out on the street,” she said.
After organising the impromptu festival in only two days, did Mrs Shanks have designs on joining the blossom festival committee?
“Watch out Martin,” she said.
