Yeppoon’s first Pineapple Festival was held in January 1962.
The Yeppoon Presbyterian Women’s Guild organised it to raise funds for a new church hall.
There was a street procession of decorated cars, floats and bicycles.
The Yeppoon Lions Club was formed in March 1967 and helped run the festival as a community project and continues to do so, to this day.
Over the years there has been a variety of associated events including tug of war, soap box derby, bike race, wheelbarrow race, ocean powerboat race, firefighting displays, pet parade, raft race and garden competitions, to name a few.
Of course, there was a Pineapple Princess competition too.
In 1969 Nerida Evans represented the Yeppoon State School.
Their major fundraiser that year was the walkathon, raising money for the school swimming pool.
Nerida won the title of Charity Princess for most funds raised. All those funds were retained by the school.
