Hula and lei at local hall

FLORAL crowns and flavoursome food will be in abundance when Coorabell Hall throws open its doors for its annual Flower Show on March 8 and 9.

The event will include displays of dahlias, roses and tropical flowers from local growers.

Attendees will also be able to buy floral hair clips, make flower perfume and see Byron Bay Hula/Mana Aloha Troupe perform the traditional Hawaiian dance.

Members of the Country Women’s Association will be manning a cake stall at the event, and there will also be an ice-cream cart, a coffee cart, a chai stall and a sausage sizzle, as well as Indian street food on Saturday and pizza on Sunday.

Coorabell Hall Association president Lissa Coote said the floral celebration began in the 1950s but paused for about a decade before she brought it back when she took over the role three years ago.

“Last year we had more than 1000 people coming by,” she said. “The last two years it’s been beautiful weather and hopefully it will be beautiful weather again.”

Coorabell Hall was built as a dance hall in 1920 and can be hired out for events such as weddings.

It also hosts regular yoga classes, movie nights, pizza nights and curry nights.

“It’s a lovely hall on Coolamon Scenic Drive surrounded by farmland with ocean views,” Ms Coote said.

Byron Bay Hula/Mana Aloha Troupe founder and manager Lilith Rocha and her members will don floral crowns, called lei po’o, to close the event at 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

“I just love our local halls,” she said. “I think they are such a part of the community spirit.”

The event will be held at Coorabell Hall from 12pm to 4pm on March 8 and 10am to 4pm on March 9.