It was a bold idea – getting the people of Ballina to wear tutus for a day in the name of charity.

And for those brave enough to give it a whirl, there was no looking back.

Ballina RSL and Cherry Street Sports clubs jumped on board, with staff enthusiastically embracing the theme. 

The day of colourful silliness culminated in a night of laughter, music and dancing in the RSL auditorium – proving once and for all that sometimes you really can have tutu much fun.

But behind the tulle and tiaras was a very serious purpose – raising funds for Our Kids, which supports children’s wards and special care nurseries across the Northern Rivers.

Fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista said the inaugural event raised close to $13,000, likely enough to purchase specialised paediatric equipment from the charity’s “wish list.”

“Tutus just bring the fun out of everybody,” she said. 

“We had people in workplaces holding morning teas, staff walking down River Street in tutus, greenkeepers in tutus at the club, even barmen serving drinks in tutus. It’s been amazing to see.”

The excitement has already spread north. Clubs in Tweed have announced they’ll run their own Tutu Day within weeks, with plans for a region-wide event in 2026.

“This all started right here in Ballina, and now it’s taking off,” Ms Battista said. 

“Next year will be bigger than Ben-Hur.”

For anyone who wasn’t game this year, there’s always next time. 

And as the Ballina RSL crowd on Friday night discovered – a tutu really does make everything more fun.