September 1938 the Church of England held a highly successful Debutante Ball at Linville in Quinn's Hall, raising £20. The first Masonic Debutante Ball in the district was held on 14 September 1951 under the auspices of the St John Biarra lodge. In Esk and Toogoolawah the committees arranged that the Church of England and Catholic Debutante Balls alternated between the towns through the 1960s and 1970s.22

Fetes and carnivals also abounded with both

amazingly sophisticated organization and alternatively highly successful functions without any planning. At the turn of the century they were

held chiefly to raise funds for the churches. The ladies of St Agnes's, St Andrews', and St Mel's all arranged fetes and bazaars, 'Scotch Trysts', and Irish Jigs. Large bazaars were organized to celebrate the openings of churches and halls. The Toogoolawah Amateur Gardening and Progress Association, of which Mrs J.H. McConnel was President was very active around World War I; two hundred visitors attended a garden fete and display

of flowers at Cress brook on 13 May 1916. At

Coominya, Bellevue Homestead and the Lumley Hills provided the extra attraction. A Rainbow fete

held in aid of the St Martin's Church of England building fund and opened by Mrs Lumley Hill in May 1921 raised £301 on one day.23

To celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Esk had an illuminated six feet high crown in front of the Post Office. The day began with church services, followed by a picnic luncheon at the

recreation grounds and children's sports. The programme in the Lyceum hall in the evening included a concert, speeches, cartoons, films, and community singing. Toogoolawah held a procession of decorated floats, motor cars and marchers, all organized by H. Nichols. The procession was led to McConnel Park by the fourteen girls and boys of the Fulham Pony Club. The twenty decorated floats included the Queen's coach drawn by four grey horses. The Post Office and Upper Brisbane River Pasture Improvement and Development Committee promoted by Mr Duncan McConnel, also entered floats. Trees were

planted in the park and a fancy dress football

match was held. In the morning J. Wothington circled the town in his tiger moth plane and the RAAF Mustang fighters flew over in the afternoon.24

On the 'Back to Esk' weekend on 11 and 12 November 1971 T. Boyle's bullock team paraded through the town and the pioneer generation attended a huge ball. Sir Douglas Fraser, son of the Shire's first engineer, attended, but it was really a weekend for everyone with an association with Esk since 1873.25

The most recent occasion of much celebration in the Brisbane Valley was the opening of the Split yard Creek pumping and power station and

the Wivenhoe Dam in 1984 and 1985. Warana festivals and FREEPS were held in conjunction. As well the 'Eskhibition' organized through the Brisbane Valley Art and Craft Society by

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