The Manning River Aquatic Festival lives in the hearts and minds of all of us who grew up in its hey day.
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The festival parade was legendary. Thousands of people lined Taree's main street and clambered onto roofs and awnings to view the incredible floats prepared by clubs and organisations as well as businesses, and including candidates in the Aquatic Queen quest.
Held over the Australia Day long weekend, the carnival program featured sailing, speed boats and rowing on the river, motorcycle racing at the Old Bar Roadside Circuit, fun runs, sand modelling competitions at Old Bar Beach, a children's fancy dress competition and entertainment
At its height the festival ran for six nights and three days. That was when there was a long weekend in January to mark Australia Day, regardless of whether it was January 26 or not. The festival started to get the wobbles in the late 1980s and eventually lapsed in the mid-1990s.
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