For 75 years the street parade has been the highlight of Young’s annual Cherry Festival. Photo: National Cherry Festival Facebook.
In 1949, the town of Young turned up the tempo on its most prized fruit by launching a cherry festival, setting the stage for what would become arguably Australia’s largest celebration of fruit.
And this December, the nation’s cherry capital will sparkle like never before, celebrating its Diamond Jubilee Festival with three days of fireworks, parade pageantry, culinary magic and a crowning-glory moment proclaiming the new cherry king or queen.
To understand the 2025 festival, you need the backstory.
Young’s cherry story runs 180-plus years deep, rooted in the land itself when, in the late 1840s, Edward Taylor, nephew of Young’s first European settler James White, planted the town’s first cherry trees in a home orchard on his property.
Some three decades later, in 1878, Croatian migrant Nikola Jasprica – known in Australia as Nicolas Jasprizza – arrived at Lambing Flat chasing gold.
After six months, he abandoned the pick and pan for a spade, cultivating a garden that fed the goldfields which eventually grew into a thriving orchard.
Drawing on Taylor’s Kentish cherry stock, Jasprizza conducted grafting experiments to develop varieties suited to Young’s cool winters and rich red soils, ultimately establishing Australia’s first commercial cherry orchard.
By the early 1880s, he’d opened Cherry Vale, pioneering cherry farming in the region.
By 1893, his orchard had expanded to 100 acres of cherries, with 7000 mature and 300 young trees, alongside 60 acres of vines.
According to the Goulburn Evening Penny Post on 30 November 1893, an average of 300 cases of cherries were being sent daily to the Sydney market, with about 1200 cases per week coming from Cherry Vale alone.
A special truck was attached to each night’s train, underlining both the scale of the operation and Young’s growing reputation as a cherry hub.
By the turn of the century the town had proclaimed Cherry Vale as, “the world’s largest cherry orchard”.
Yet it would be nearly five decades before a festival would be held to celebrate the rich red fruit of the town built on gold.
In the ensuing years, cherry growing wasn’t just a business; it was a point of pride and friendly competition.
In 1912, Cherry Vale offered £50 to any man who could pick a cherry from every tree in their sprawling 300-acre plantation of 30,000-40,000 trees within 24 hours.
Seven years later, the prize remained unclaimed.
The Young Historical Society notes that in 1923, orchardist GS Bailey won the so-called “Cherry Derby” by being the first to dispatch a consignment of cherries to Sydney that season.
Finally, a festival was planned.
A load of 400 cases of cherries from Cherry Vale on Main Street, Young (circa 1890s-1910s). Photo: Young Historical Museum.
Originally christened the Blossom Festival, what began as a small local celebration quickly grew into a major regional drawcard.
Newspaper reports from 1951 describe floats so elaborate – adorned with cascades of pink and white blossoms – they brought the town to a standstill.
One account noted a crowd so dense it delayed the Sydney-bound steam train carrying the very cherries the town was celebrating.
The trains might have stopped but that doesn’t deter the thousands of visitors who still travel to Young for that one massive weekend in December.
The 75th National Cherry Festival, running 5-7 December, promises a spectacular celebration of the region’s versatility, both cultural and geographic.
It kicks off on Friday evening, when the town’s main street – Boorowa Street – hosts its first-ever Multicultural Cherry Fiesta, with food stalls, music and roaming performers from 5:30 pm.
And there’s a bit of celebrity in TV chef Adam Liaw, who will demonstrate a three-course cherry menu, proving the fruit’s versatility goes far beyond pies.
The night concludes with a performance by futurepop artist BIRDEE 王煒 and a dazzling 9 pm fireworks display.
Saturday highlights Young’s traditional pageantry.
The Woolworths Street Parade rolls through town at 4 pm, but before that, Anderson Park hosts the official opening at 2:15 pm.
At 3 pm, the famously messy Wilders Bakery Cherry Pie Eating Competition tests speed, stamina, and stomach.
As night falls, the park transforms into a concert venue with Australian Idol winner Dylan Wright, followed by the high-energy soul of Blues Brothers Rebooted.
Sunday 7 December focuses on community fun.
After the Lions Club Big Breakfast, the quirky Cherry Pip Spit Competition begins at 11 am, followed by the Cherry Twirl Competition for children aged 0-10.
Across the weekend visitors can also explore festival fringe events such as the Young Camera Club Photographic Competition, Young Society of Artists Competitive Art Exhibition, Young Historical Museum impressive collection, a Hilltops Heritage Rally and the work of local artist Ang Hart with the “Radiance in Bloom” exhibition.
An exhibition and slideshow celebrating 100 years of Southern Cross Hall and 20 years of Southern Cross Cinema will also be in play.
Amid the pageantry, the cherry itself remains the real star.
Festival-goers can pick fruit straight from local orchards or buy freshly harvested baskets at farmgate stalls.
The 75th festival invites everyone to taste not just cherries, but the legacy of a town that turned its soil into something legendary.
Hilltops Council Mayor Brian Ingram said it was a special opportunity to reflect on the region’s strong sense of identity and to welcome visitors.
“The National Cherry Festival is a proud tradition here in Young, and this year, the Multicultural Cherry Fiesta adds an extra layer of connection, celebrating our community’s diverse heritage,” he said.
“We can’t wait to share the spirit of cherries, culture, and country hospitality with visitors from near and far.”
The National Cherry Festival runs from 5 until 7 December. For more details visit the dedicated National Cherry Festival website.
