Tickets for the 2025 Lightning Ridge Opal Queen Ball will be on sale in June. Please stay tuned. 

Ladies over the age of 18 (and residents of Lightning Ridge for the last 6 months), have you considered entering the glamorous Opal Queen competition? There are thousands of dollars in prizes up for grabs, plus the opportunity to act as the opal industry’s ambassador at the Australian Opal Exhibition and local events. The Opal Queen Ball aims to celebrate women in our local community, recognising all the valuable contributions they make.

All prize winners are presented with beautiful opal pendants very generously donated each year by loyal festival sponsors.

1st Prize pendant donated by Peter Sherman Opals
2nd Prize pendant donated by Down to Earth Opals
3rd Prize pendant donated by Peters Opals

The category of “People’s Choice” calls for audience participation with guests on the night voting for their favourite contender. The winner of this category will receive a spectacular piece of opal jewellery donated by Lost Sea Opals and will nominate a charity of her choice to receive a donation of $500 from the Lightning Ridge Opal & Gem Festival.

The 2024 People’s Choice winner, Tiarnie McBride, saw $500 donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

For entry forms please email
events.manager@lightningridgeopalfestival.com.au

Images: (1) Breanna Mitchell 2022 Opal Queen and Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of NSW. (2) 2022 Opal Queen Winners and NSW Governor.