The Colour Purple
They say the colour purple is the shade of royalty. Growing up in the Clarence Valley, it truly is. It belongs to Market Square where the Grafton Jacaranda Festival crowns the new Jacaranda Queen, King, and Royal Party on Prince Street. Surrounded by a town-proud community coming together beneath a literal, regal canopy of violet blossoms, it's the biggest and brightest time of the year.
While Alice Walker’s famous story The Colour Purple is about finding your voice and standing tall, which I try to do as I move through life and build upon Smithers, this blog is about a different kind of purple breakthrough. It is about Jacaranda the 9th colour to proudly take its place in the Smithers Incognito lineup. A hue designed to honour the longest-running flower festival in Australia, and a piece of my own DNA.
A Valley Swept in Violet
Every spring, the popularity of Jacaranda season in the Clarence Valley blooms into something truly spectacular. For more than 100 years, Grafton and surrounding towns like Ulmarra and Maclean have been swept up in a sea of purple, courtesy of the 2,000+ canopy trees lining the streets.
It is a long-running tradition that evokes an immediate wave of childhood nostalgia. It signifies passion, community pride, and an undeniable sense of belonging. The valley swells with visitors from all across the country, all culminating in Prince Street for the grand coronation and street carnival.
The Magic of Jacaranda Thursday
The festival is so deeply rooted in our culture that a special half-day holiday is granted to the community just so everyone can join the two weeks of festivities. During this time, shopfronts come alive, ice cream turns purple, and even local schooners and loaves of bread take on the violet hue.
My childhood memories of Jacaranda Thursday are loud, chaotic, and beautiful:
- Family Traditions: Mum baking batches of purple cupcakes and dying cocktails, while Dad does his social rounds. Back then, he was the Town Clerk and General Manager guiding the valley; today, he proudly serves as the current Mayor.
- The Chaotic Anthem: The chorus of Cold Chisel’s Flame Trees flooding the streets from a collective choir of local voices—good, bad, and ugly. But a sound and a song forever etched into my memory.
- Main Street Mischief: My siblings and I preparing for absolute chaos as the streets shut down, local shopkeepers perform Hey Hey It’s Saturday-style skits, and the Big River Rockers dance on the bitumen out the front of Darrell Lea.
- The Ferris Wheel Point: Looking up at the Ferris wheel high above the purple canopy, it's the ultimate landmark for inevitably losing your friends, running away from water bombs, and ducking kids going wild with water pistols.
Engineered for Memories, Built for the Water
Seasons come and go. With each passing year, the legacy gets layered in more tradition and steeped in new memories across generations. Just like those unbreakable hometown traditions, we built these briefs to last.
Our Jacaranda Incognito swim briefs feature the same premium, chlorine-resistant, and form-fitting fabric you expect from the Smithers DNA. It is a celebration of standing out, remembering where you came from, and carrying a piece of the Clarence Valley with you, wherever you dive in next.
Whether you are heading down to the Clarence River, hitting the local pool, or packing your bags for a beach escape to nearby Wooli or Yamba, do it in a colour that tells a story.
Don't Wait For The Petals To Fall
The Incognito collection is all about timeless, solid confidence. As the 9th edition to the family, Jacaranda is bound to move fast as festival season approaches. Secure yours today.
