Family fun at Mur'bah Banana Fest
THE Tweed Valley Banana Festival in Murwillumbah was a hit on the weekend with thousands taking advantage of the good weather to get out and enjoy everything Saturday's parade and family fun day had to offer.
Festival coordinator Carol Mudge said the festival's family fund day attracted about 5000 people to Knox Park while 3000 lined the streets to watch the parade.
"The parade was just wonderful," Ms Mudge said.
"We had the largest number of floats that we have had in the last four years.
"We had 40 floats and that was not including the queen floats."
Some of the crowd favourites on the day was the banana tossing competition and the Redland Ladies Drum Corp.
"The nine girls in the queen competition raised $22,438.57. That's just an amazing effort," Ms Mudge said.
"Our girls are working twice as hard and putting so much into the community."
Elizabeth Davis raised $8360.58 for her charity The Murwillumbah Hospital Rehabilitation Ward to become the 2012 Charity Queen.
Jessica Mattner was crowned the 2012 Tweed Valley Banana Festival Queen.
Of a more sombre note, there was a tragic accident the day after the event with a parade participant involved in the fatal accident on Sunday.
Mark Murphy from Mudgeeraba was riding with the Starlight Riders during the parade this year.
On Sunday he died following a collision between his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a Mitsubishi Triton towing a boat.
It was the first year Starlight Riders was involved with the parade.
Winners of Banana Queen competition
Jessica Mattner - Banana Festival Queen
Elizabeth Davis - Charity Queen
Emily Colleton - Miss Personality
Layce Andrews - Teen Queen
Rhen Francis - Teen Personality
Taylah Brown - Senior Princess
Keira Paddock - Junior Princess
Rollie Dyer - Prince
