Sadly, fruity festival fireworks won’t be happening on New Year’s Eve at the Lismore Showgrounds. Lismore-based social club Tropical Fruits has announced its annual LGBTIQ-friendly new year festival is cancelled. 

Tropical Fruits club manager Marie Reilly said after months of trying to work out how to make the event covid-safe, the committee had unanimously decided to fully cancel the event.

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“We looked from every angle how we could do it – from holding it outdoors and how to make dance floors covid-safe,” Marie said. “But Tropical Fruits is so much about dancing, celebrating and being close together, it was hard to imagine how it would be possible.

“I’m proud the committee was able to make this difficult decision sooner rather than later and put the safety of our community first.

“Other festivals have the same challenges as us, and while we have cancelled it for now, we will have to see what happens as restrictions relax.”

The Tropical Fruits annual street parade usually draws large crowds.

The festival annually draws thousands of people to the local area who stay for the week, bringing in dollars to local accommodation, food and tourism businesses. The annual street parade, pool party and dance/cabaret events are highlights in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) calendar for people across Australia.

Marie said that Tropical Fruits intends to emerge “stronger than ever” from this period, still focusing on the local fruity community.

“We are already working on other internally strengthening club projects like the installation of a lift at our clubhouse to make it accessible for everyone.  

“We are also working on preparing our next strategic plan and club policies.

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Tropical Fruits volunteers work for weeks to put on the annual festival.

“We are also in discussion with the Civic Hotel about ways to keep Fruity Fridays happening into the future. We have a great relationship with the pub and hope to keep it going.”

The loss to the region of this annual event will be felt by many local businesses.

“I’m so proud of the cultural contribution the club makes to our region and economy," Marie said. "It becomes a tourist destination of itself and it’s really sad it won’t be happening.”

Marie invites people who want to keep the fruity connections strong to join the monthly online event LIVE FRUITS: a live stream with DJ Sandi Hotrod on July 25th.