Grafton set to turn purple as Jacaranda Festival opens

Key points

• The Jacaranda Festival opens in Grafton on Friday, 23 October, with thousands of jacaranda trees in bloom. The celebration runs until Sunday, 8 November, and this year's theme is Shining Bright.
• Opening weekend events include Illuminate at See Park, the Jaca Children's Party and the Jacaranda Ball. Later events include River Dreaming, the Parade of Youth, Retrofest and the Venetian Carnival.
• The festival closes with the opening of a 2001 time capsule and a fun run over Bendy Bridge.