Ipswich gears up for month-long celebration of flesh and mechanical horsepower

The festival’s high-powered racing starts this week at Willowbank with a warm-up event. File photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI

The power of hooves (mechanical and not) will drown out the cheers of fans as Ipswich gears up for its Festival of Horsepower.

The festival ‘starts’ this Saturday at Willowbank Speedway with a warm-up for the Winternationals proper next week.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding says city-wide celebrations will rev up the month of June as it hosts a mixture of motorsport and horsepower events.

“The Festival of Horsepower is a drawcard for more than 55,000 visitors, spanning the whole month,” she says.

“The month is packed to the brim … it is adrenaline-fuelled, with opportunities for everyone to enjoy.”

Ipswich City Council’s Economic and Cultural Development Committee chairwoman Councillor Pye Augustine says the festival is about more than just fast-paced fun.

“City-wide festivals such as this don’t just bring good times to our city, they bring incredible economic benefits and help drive tourism,” she says.

“Families can come along to the Marburg Showgrounds and take in the exciting scenes as standardbred horses pull their driver’s carts across the finish line (June 22).

“This is one of the last remaining harness racing courses in Queensland and is a phenomenal display of country racing, with entertainment, food and drinks and mini-trot races,” she points out.

“The family fun doesn’t stop there; visitors can explore the history of travel and enjoy a family train ride at the From Horses to Horsepower Family Fun Day at the Cooneana Heritage Centre.”