Scarlett Backhaus helped build Baiada’s sunbaking chicken, which has been a regular at the festival for more than 20 years. Photos: Oliver Jacques.
Around 800 volunteers assembled on Griffith’s main street to fashion 100,000 oranges and grapefruits into 60 sculptures on Sunday morning (12 October).
The annual displays, sponsored by the Real Juice Company and Griffith City Council, were erected for the 28th time and will remain on Banna Avenue until Saturday, 25 October.
The idea came from Fete du Citron, or the Menton Lemon Festival, which has been held in France since 1875 and is the only other event of its type in the world.
“The French gave us permission to do the festival, so long as we don’t use lemons,” longtime sculpture maker Dirk Hoogland said.
“So we only use oranges and grapefruit.”
Perhaps to be cheeky, Mr Hoogland helped Griffith Business Chamber president John Nikolic build a lemon design made predominantly of grapefruit for law firm Cater and Blumer.
“I’m not sure what a lemon has to do with law, but it stands out,” he said.
Dirk Hoogland (left) and John Nikolic helped build a lemon.
Another familiar addition to the festival is a double contribution from chicken producer Baiadas.
“Our sculptures started when the company was owned by the Barters in the 1990s and we continued after Baiadas took over,” regional livestock manager Sean Backhaus said.
“We have both a hen and rooster. The hen was a collaboration with KFC; there used to be a bucket, but now it’s just us.
“Our family have been putting these sculptures together for at least 20 years.”
The Real Juice Company Citrus Sculptures display, held along Banna Avenue, began on Sunday, 12 October and runs until Saturday, 25 October. A carrot, piano, dollar sign, koala and guitar are among the other creations. Visitors can park free at the Griffith Visitor Information Centre and then wander up the street to admire and take photos of the designs.
