Stanthorpe gearing up for Presidential visit

It all started when the Courier Mail came up with a list of suggestions to tempt the Obamas to Queensland during their forthcoming visit ("Bligh bid to lure Obamas", Wednesday 3rd February).

Never ones to let an opportunity pass, the enterprising Apple and Grape Harvest Festival committee have been busily preparing for the visit...

Here's their very tongue-in-cheek line up!

• A space has been reserved for the Presidential security team in the Festival's Grand Parade...can't wait to see how the cars look decorated in the Apple & Grape theme!

• The Obamas will be pleasantly surprised as they are thrown in the deep end to get involved in the Celebrity Grape Crush and Apple Peeling competitions.

• After Barack is through with the Grape Crush it conjures the thought 'Wonder what the wine juice will taste like from the feet of the most famous man in the world?' The Festival committee intend to auction the President's wine juice, by the bottle, aptly named 'Top Dog', during the Fruit & Vegetable and Wine auction at 5pm Saturday.

• The First Lady will have to work hard to beat the Fastest Apple Peel Champion from 2008, but you never know the skills of an out of towner.

• What was going to be a solo aerobatics display by a RAAF Roulette has now been expanded to the full RAAF Aerobatics Display Team with Air Force One in the lead.

If the President and First Lady don't visit Stanthorpe then the region will just have to celebrate the Apple and Grape Harvest Festival (5 - 7 March) without them, just like the last 44 years. But the Obamas would be most welcome as Stanthorpe is very hospitable.