The crowds flocked to the Dardanup Bull and Barrel Festival to enjoy all the wonderful attractions.

The Festival theme ‘Our Backyard” was very popular with many people visiting the stalls in the hall that showcased environmentally friendly products or sustainable living practices such as growing your own vegetables, aquaponics, grey water recycling and solar systems.

The snake display was also a big hit with young and old.

New to the Festival, the Lawnmower Relay Races drew huge crowds as did the Festival favourite the Tug O War which was won for the 2nd year by the Bunbury Barbarians Rugby team.

The Down on the Farm arena saw many people watching the cow and goat milking and meeting the alpacas, Dexter cattle, miniature horses and the many varieties of poultry.

The Wine and Gourmet Food marquee hummed all day with Festival visitors sampling Ferguson Valley wine, beer, cheeses and olives.

Local art displayed in the Thomas Little Hall saw literally thousands attend this exhibition. At the cooking demos it was again standing room only.

Chef Julie Lawrence excelled in preparing delicious food for all to taste.

The quality of athletes competing in the sprint races was top class and over 50 children competed in the Primary Schools Challenge.

The crowd roared when Russell Sheridan’s fire sculpture burnt which brought a close to a great day at the 2009 Festival.

The Festival Committee is underway planning a bigger and better Festival for 2010 and the theme is the Spanish Fiesta so watch out for plenty of colour and dancing.

Comments from Festival visitors

Dear Chairperson of the Bull and Barrel Festival 2009,

Please accept my sincere appreciation and congratulations for having so well organised a Festival that gave immense pleasure and enjoyment to so many.

As a stallholder at the Festival, I particularly thank Tracey Keley, first for allocating me the same position I enjoyed so much last year and, secondly - and more important, for enabling stallholders to find their respective positions, set up, and trade without tension, stress, or any aggravation.   In short, it was an absolute delight to be a part of such a great show and day.

Please pass on to the members of your committee my sincere thanks for all their efforts which ensured a really enjoyable day for all…………

I just have to write a few lines to say MAJOR congratulations to the organising Committee and local community with regards to the SUPERB Bull and Barrel Dardanup Show (Sat 10/10).

We travelled from Perth to enjoy the sights and sounds and also so that our children could participate in the running races. Rest assured I will be spending plenty of time singing the praises of this well-organised, beautifully presented and most interesting of Shows!!

The choice of food, produce, activities and displays was outstanding. The Races were well organised and ran to a well-designed schedule - well done!

I also noticed how much "behind the scenes" organising had been done as rubbish bins were emptied and tourists assisted with parking etc !! - great to see the whole Community backing their Show.

We will definitely be back !!.......................

Thank you to our sponsors

The following businesses sponsored the Dardanup Bull and Barrel Festival in 2009. Please consider supporting them as they have supported this community.

Doral Mineral Sands, the Festival’s major sponsor, Lotterywest, Healthway, South West Development Commission, Worsley Alumina, K&S Freighters, TJ Depiazzi and Sons, Finesse Foods, Rose Hotel, Simcoa Operations, Tyrepower Bunbury, Wespine,Westrac, The Laminex Group, Dardanup Butchering Co, J.W. Cross & Sons, Fencing Unlimited, Dardanup Removals, Machinery West, Raine and Horne, M.G.I.B, G.T. Fabrication, Total Telephone, Bunbury Machinery, Dynea, WA Country Builders, AMD Accountants, Southern Districts Estate Agency, South Western Times, Radiowest, Officeworks, South West Real Estate, National Foods, Eventrent, Totally Sound, Dardanup General Store and Dardanup Post Office.