TINGHA Citizen’s Association will open its fourth annual Tingha Tin Festival at the Tingha Sport & Recreation Club today.
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Association chair Colleen Graham said there will be lots of expats returning and it would be a good chance for family friends and expats to get together.
The Tingha Town Hall also turns 100 this year, even though the façade says it was built in 1911.
“Many years ago, when they painted the whole façade of the Town Hall, the painter painted over the date and forgot what it was,” Colleen chuckled.
“So he went to the pub to ask if anyone remembered. Apparently a great debate broke out! Anyhow, they came up with the idea that it was 1911.
“It certainly wasn’t, because I’ve got photographs to prove it was 1914.”
Colleen said the Association had permission to change the date, but thought it was part of the hall’s history to leave it with 1911 on it.
Tomorrow's events start at 8am with breakfast in the canteen at the Town Hall with egg and bacon rolls. In the evening the Tingha Minor League take over the canteen and they do the dinner.
“There will be food and drink available all day, we’ll have markets and entertainment and our parade will be held at 11am, and that will be led by the Armidale Pipe Band,” Colleen said. The Tinman challenge will be held in Symes Park at 1pm.
“Our organiser of that is Greg Schumann, and he is throwing out a bit of a challenge to our local Police, Rural Fire Service and ambos to see how their fitness compares to our Tingha boys,” Colleen said. “The much coveted trophies are tinmen made out of tin cans and bottle tops in gold, silver and bronze.”
The Tin Princess competition will be held during the evening and this year there are 13 entrants across the three age categories.
“Our entries have grown in that each year,” Colleen said.