The Blackheath Rhododendron Festival is on Saturday 7 November 2026. The Grand Parade starts at 11.30am on Wentworth Street, and stalls, music and family activities run from 10am to 4pm. Entry is free.
We’re three stops down the line in Leura, so this is the guide we give our own guests. Details are from the festival’s own site and NSW Government listings, checked 27 October 2026. Links to the originals are at the bottom.
The essentials
| Date | Saturday 7 November 2026 |
| Where | Wentworth Street, Blackheath village |
| Entry | Free |
| Parade start | 11.30am |
| Parade route | Along Wentworth Street to Hat Hill Road |
| Stalls and activities | 10am – 4pm |
| 2026 theme | Old Times – Good Times |
| Also in November | Rhodo Revue, Jazz at the Pub, Campbell Rhododendron Gardens open for inspection |
Rhododendron Festival parade: time and route
The parade sets off at 11.30am and runs along Wentworth Street to Hat Hill Road, where it disperses. Participants assemble from 10.30am: walkers in Leichhardt Street next to the school, and vehicles along Wentworth Street between Leichhardt Street and Prince George Street.
Floats are decorated by local organisations and pupils of the local school. A marching band and a line of vintage cars, trucks and fire engines usually lead, and the float honouring the Festival Queen comes last.
This year’s theme is Old Times – Good Times. Anyone can dress up and walk in the parade if they register through the festival’s online form, with certificates for Most Historic and Most Bizarre.
Get to Wentworth Street before 11am if you want a kerbside spot with children. The street is the whole show.
Stalls, food and music
Festival Day activities and stalls run from 10am to 4pm. Food stalls are set up on the lawn in front of the stage, with general merchandise and charity stalls around the festival area.
Campbell Rhododendron Gardens
The festival is named after these gardens, and early November is the right time to go. Rhododendrons and azaleas flower from late September to mid-November.
- Address: Bacchante Street, Blackheath
- Entry: $5
- Getting there: walking distance from Blackheath Station
- Facilities: car park, kiosk, toilets, picnic area and lookouts. The Lodge Rhodo Tea Room serves cream teas for about six weeks over the October–November peak.
- Dogs: allowed on a lead
If parade day is too busy for you, the gardens are open all year. Sunday 8 November or a weekday that week will be quieter, and the flowers should still be out.
Getting there from Leura: take the train
Parking near Wentworth Street is the main hassle on parade day, and the train avoids it. Blackheath is on the same Blue Mountains Line as Leura, three stops up the mountain (Katoomba, Medlow Bath, Blackheath). The village and the Rhododendron Gardens are both walkable from the station.
Check the Transport NSW trip planner for your return train before you head out.
If you drive
- From 10.30am, parade vehicles line Wentworth Street between Leichhardt Street and Prince George Street, and walkers gather in Leichhardt Street. Avoid both if you’re arriving by car.
- Arrive early, park once and walk. Moving the car mid-morning, with the parade forming, is where the day goes wrong.
- Campbell Rhododendron Gardens has its own car park. It suits a garden-first visit but will be busy on festival day.
Where to stay for the Rhododendron Festival
Leura is a good base for the festival. You get a quieter village to come back to, and the train or a short drive puts you in Blackheath for the parade.
Magnolia Cottage is a self-contained cottage in the heart of Leura, sleeping four, with a fireplace and firepit for cool November evenings. It’s walking distance to Leura Mall and the station, and five minutes to Everglades.
Making a week of it? The Lyrebird Festival runs 12–15 November in the Megalong Valley, just below Blackheath, so you can catch both.
Staying longer? November is a good month to spend in the mountains, with the gardens in flower and the summer crowds yet to arrive. See our long stays page for weekly and monthly rates.
Rhododendron Festival FAQ
When is the Blackheath Rhododendron Festival 2026?
Saturday 7 November 2026, with related events through November.
What time does the parade start?
11.30am, along Wentworth Street to Hat Hill Road.
Is the festival free?
Yes. Entry to the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens is $5.
Can I walk in the parade?
Yes, if you register through the festival’s online form. The 2026 theme is Old Times – Good Times.
Sources
- Blackheath Rhododendron Festival: 2026 date and parade format
- Parade 2026: start time, route, assembly and theme
- Festival stalls: Festival Day hours and stall areas
- NSW Government event listing: location, free entry and the November program
- Campbell Rhododendron Gardens (NSW Government): entry, flowering season and facilities
Details checked 27 October 2026. Confirm on the festival site before you go, as times can change.
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