Photo: Supplied.
BY JAN NARY
It started as a one-off community fundraiser selling surplus strawberries to raise funds for the Capalaba School of Arts. It’s now an iconic Redlands Festival that draws crowds from all over the region for a weekend of live music, market stalls, sideshow alley attractions, rides, entertainment – a wide range of food – and of course, strawberries.
RedFest secretary Robyn Keenan says that there have been some changes over the sixty-plus years of the festival.
“We no longer have the Strawberry Queen competition or the street parades and the style of the festival has changed. The Redlands used to be called the ‘Salad Bowl’ and back in the ’60s it was more of an agricultural show; farmers coming together with the wider community. Over the years it grew into the full-blown strawberry festival but many local farms have gone now, replaced by houses.
“While there’s only one major strawberry farm in the region, the strawberries are still the star attraction; the ice cream, fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, strawberry wine and the popular strawberry eating competition.”
While COVID had an impact, the last two years have seen RedFest attract crowds of 12,000 and 15,000, and there are expectations of topping those figures this year.
“We’re aware of the rising cost of living, especially for families,” says Robyn “so all the entertainment and games in the kids’ area, including the petting zoo and rock climbing wall are free.”
An entry ticket also gives free entry to the Redlands Coast Museum.
RedFest is celebrated on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, 2026 at the Cleveland Showgrounds.
