The 60th Alexandra Blossom Festival will be one of the biggest in years while retaining the spirit of previous festivals.
From September 23 to October 9 the town will thrive with the usual festival events plus some extras to mark its sixth decade.
Alexandra Blossom Festival event manager Martin McPherson said there were six registered floats, but he expected many more before the cut-off registration date of August 19.
"A lot of people leave it to the last minute. I'm confident there will be considerably more than last year because a number of groups are returning after keeping their powder dry in the last few years.'' There were about eight last year, he said.
Three years ago the decorated shopping trolley - known as a frolley - was introduced.
Last year between between 20 and 30 were made.
"Again, I'm hoping for a few more this year, but it's difficult to predict.''
This year organisers were trying to persuade as many former blossom queens as possible to take part in the events.
So far, 20 had confirmed their attendance. A couple were travelling from Australia, he said.
Classic attractions would return, such as the Round the Clock Race, fireworks, garden tours and drag racing.
The WoolOn fashion event will be held in the middle of next year instead of at the festival.
This year's festival would be the largest in a long time, while maintaining the spirit of previous festivals, Mr McPherson said.
"There will be more visitors than in the past due to the nostalgic nature of the event. But it will also be business as usual.''
The festival was declared technically insolvent after the 2009 event, following three successive years of losses.
Under its new management it had recorded a surplus every year since, Mr McPherson said.
Alexandra New World manager Shane Ryan said the frolleys were a way to involve people who did not have time to build a float.
"There's a lot of creativity. You get young high school kids putting a lot of effort into them.'' The supermarket will offer a total of $2000 in five categories for the most creative efforts.
