Find of the Month
September 2026
Floriade on Video
This month the team at ArchivesACT have selected three promotional videos for past Floriade festivals that were aired on local and regional television. These clips were recently digitised from magnetic audiovisual media formats including VHS and Betacam.
Our first selection comes from 1994. A stack of three cathode ray tube televisions display Floriade scenes, sponsors’ logos, and a singer performing a jingle about the joys of spring. There’s no mention of that year’s theme, Reflections, but in following years the festival theme would become a central part of advertising campaigns.
Floriade advertisement from 1994. ArchivesACT, record CBR00166424 VHS Tape 0058.
Floriade in the year 2000 coincided with the Sydney Olympics. That year's theme, Games in the Garden, was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Australia’s sporting culture, incorporating backyard games such as hopscotch and dominos, with the more serious and competitive sports. To illustrate the theme this light-hearted promotional video features computer-animated flowers playing games including cricket, badminton, and frisbee. Note the mention of tickets, as the 2000 festival was one of a few with an entry fee.
Floriade advertisement from 2000. ArchivesACT, record CBR00166424 VHS Tape 0061.
In 2003 Pluto was still considered a planet. To reflect that year’s theme The Heavens in Bloom, this video contains a montage of Floriade sights framed by twinkly stars, set to an Enya-esque soundtrack. Floriade’s website described that year’s festival as “a living tribute to the vast depths of space encircling the earth. More than 1 million blooms opened in an amazing representation of our earth, planets and Milky Way” (Archived Floriade web page). The advertisement also emphasises "FREE ENTRY", after entry fees were removed in 2001.
Floriade advertisement from 2003. ArchivesACT, record CBR00166424 Betacam SP Tape 0072.
Lastly, a bonus video, unlike the others. It appears to be a generic promotional video intended for an international audience. The video is a montage packed with clips that highlight the non-floral aspects of Floriade such as arts activities, exhibitions, and entertainment, especially for children. This Betacam SP tape is labelled Floriade Promo Canada June 2003 but it’s not clear exactly what context it was used in. With its 2:30 run time and lack of details such as festival dates it is unlikely that it was aired on television.
Floriade Promo Canada June 2003. ArchivesACT, record CBR00166424 Betacam SP Tape 0071.
These videos are a nostalgic reminder of the visual styles and technology used in advertising in the 1990s and early 2000s, and depict Floriade events, performers, and displays that many past attendees would recognise. They provide a moment to reflect on the people who have shaped Floriade over many years, highlighting the togetherness and shared experiences that continue to make Floriade a beloved part of Canberra’s story.
Floriade 2026: Feast of Flowers runs 12 September to 11 October.
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ACT Government records used
CBR00166424 VHS Tape 0058
CBR00166424 VHS Tape 0061
CBR00166424 Betacam SP Tape 0072
CBR00166424 Betacam SP Tape 0071
Other sources
Floriade website
Floriade website (2000 snapshot via Trove)
Floriade website – History (2007 snapshot via WayBackMachine)