Springwood Foundation Day Springwood, New South Wales
Share this page:
One Saturday every April Springwood (NSW) hosts a day of celebration and family fun called Springwood Foundation Day.
The Day is Springwood's own festival and it celebrates the foundation of this small town of Springwood back in the 19th century.
The Grand Parade during Springwood Foundation Day 2011 included the NSW Fire Brigades Band (playing "Sweet Sixteen" and showing some fancy footwork), the Ambulance Service, Eloura Industries, Christ Church Springwood and the Springwood Winmalee Girl Guides.
Today it hosts 35,000-40,000 people a year who come to see the live entertainment on three stages erected along the main street and showcasing local and visiting talent.
The main street (Macquarie Road) is closed off to traffic all day, from 8am to 4pm, so people can wander around to see the many events.
The most popular event of all is the Parade down the main street. The Parade features all sorts of performers, floats, community groups (such as the Fire Brigade, SES, and Ambulance services, and the sheltered workshops for disabled people), brass bands, school groups and more.
No one will wanting for interesting things to see or do. Apart from the live entertainment and the Parade, there are street performers, buskers, stalls (including food stalls and stalls for special interest groups such as family history, WIRES and the various political parties), dance and art displays, car rides in the Car Park, and a Fun Dash/Run.
In the Car Park near Franklins there are also are lots of games and activities for children, such as jumping castles.
Springwood Foundation Day 2011's Grand Parade included the Blue Mountains Pipe Band, Zaghareet (belly dance group), St Thomas Aquinas Primary School and St Columba's High School.
2011 Springwood Foundation Day (2 April 2011)
Here is a list of some of the key groups, associations, schools and businesses that participated in the Grand Parade:
Springwood Fire Brigade
NSW Fire Brigade Band
NSW Corps of Marines (a re-enactment group)
Springwood CEBS (youth group from Christ Church Anglican Church, Springwood)
Srpingwood Winmalee Girl Guides
Springwood Womans Bowling Club
Eloura-Blue Mountains Disability Services
Winmalee Dance Academy
Springwood and District Citizens Boys and Girls Club
Springwood Public School
TS Nepean (naval cadets)
Salvation Army Emergency Services
Winmalee Public School
Faulconbridge Public School
Uniting Kids Care (church-based pre-school and long day care center in Springwood)
Zaghareet (oriental belly dance group)
Tear Australia (Christian group taking a proactive approach to world poverty)
Blue Mountains Sister City Committee
Blue Mountains Kangaroos Junior AFL Club
Rosatutu Studio (dance studio)
Blue Mountains Pipe Band
St Columba's High School
St Thomas Aquinas School
Ellison Public School
Blue Mountains Musical Society
LKM Dance Studios
P.C. Web Computer Solutions
Springwood High School
1st Springwood Scouts
Telstra Child Flight Emergency Helicopter
No Problem Plumbing
Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans and Associated Forces Ltd.
Cross-Cultural Ecosystems
Blue Mountains State Emergency Service
Ulysses Club - Blue Mountains Branch (social club for motorbike riders over 40)
The Grand Parade (Springwood Foundation Day 2011) also included a number of World War II trucks, Springwood and District Citizens Boys and Girls Club, Naval Cadets, Faulconbridge Public School and Uniting Kids Care.
In addition, here are some of the vintage vehicles that were driven proudly as part of the Grand Parade:
1944 Chev Truck (Roly Davey)
1943 Chev Blitz C8AX for general purpose use (Roly Davey)
1943 Ford Jeep (Roly Davey)
1942 Willys Jeep (Roly Davey)
1960 Mark 2 Jaguar (Mark Slater)
1972 SSS HQ (Ryan Family; previously owned by late Norm Ryan; driven by Steve Wright)
#49 Racing Mini (Allan Ross)
Factory-built Pickup, imported to Australia in 1972 (Greg Newport)