What has one million flowers, more than 400,000 Canberrans and three very excited television personalities?
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Canberra's landmark spring festival Floriade will be launched for its 26th year on Friday, with chef Julie Goodwin, TV builder Barry Du Bois and Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis joining ACT Tourism and Events Minister Andrew Barr for the event.
Set to open to the public at Commonwealth Park on Saturday, the month-long festival will feature stunning garden beds, horticultural workshops, demonstrations and children's entertainment - all inspired by this year's theme of Beautiful Innovation.
The largest spring festival in the southern hemisphere, last year's event attracted 442,000 people and provides an annual boost to ACT tourism providers.
Goodwin, MasterChef winner and Oxfam ambassador, said she was excited to lead cooking demonstrations using food saved from the garbage at Canberra retail outlets.
''The two charity partners for Floriade are The Big Yellow Van and Oxfam and the whole idea behind using rescued food is to make the most of food waste and reduce carbon emissions,'' she said.
''I am going to show people how easy it is to use rescued food and leftovers to be creative and make great meals.
''I have no idea what I am cooking because they haven't told me what they've rescued so I will either sink or swim on Saturday and Sunday.''
Australian fashion designer Nicola Finetti will also feature during this year's festival, as well as annual traditions including the popular twilight event, NightFest on September 25-29.
Known for his passion for nature and his eccentric personality, Georgiadis said it was his first visit to Floriade.
''I am going to be doing a presentation on the importance of food and the role we can all play in building food security and a local food system in places like Canberra,'' he said.
''I've have obviously heard about Floriade for years now and been told it is quite a spectacle so it has been great to be here and look at it myself.
''It takes a huge effort to create this many events and this many beautiful garden beds, and because of the warmer days many of the beautiful flowers have started to open early.''
■ Floriade 2013 opens on Saturday at Commonwealth Park and runs until Sunday, October 13.
www.floriadeaustralia.com