The highly-anticipated Whittlesea Christmas Festival will make its grand return to the Whittlesea Showgrounds this month for an evening of music, family fun and festive joy.
The festival attracted 3500 to the showgrounds last year, with even more fun in store for this year’s instalment.
Set for Saturday, December 16, the event will start at 4pm with a twilight market featuring food vans, children’s craft activities and face painting, classic car display, animal nursery, and the Christmas Tree extravaganza.
Early arrivals will be treated to the pre-show, which will star local artists, band ‘Just for Fun’, who will play an array of songs from artists such as Queen, The Monkeys and The Beatles, the Greensborough Salvation Army Band and Keynote Jazz Band featuring some of Melbourne’s highly sought-after jazz performers.
The community Christmas Carols will commence at 7pm, featuring local artists as well as school and township choirs, the Salvation Army Band, New Horizons Church Band, the Key Note Jazz Band and special guest Santa.
The event is hosted by New Horizons Church on behalf of the Churches of Whittlesea Township, together with the Whittlesea Agricultural Society and is sponsored by the City of Whittlesea.
This year’s festival theme is ‘the hunt for the greatest gift’, which will see special guest Where’s Wally and his friends guide the entertainment.
“The best gifts are often seen as material things – but the greatest gift of all is the love, hope and joy that is the foundation of Christmas,” New Horizons Church pastor Rohan Bujis said.
Mr Bujis said the festival was founded to bring the Whittlesea community together to ‘connect, contribute and celebrate’.
“People of all ages will come together to celebrate the joy of Christmas in an event that showcases local artists, community groups and businesses while providing an opportunity for residents in Whittlesea to connect and celebrate life, make memories and deepen ongoing relationships,” he said.
The event will go ahead no matter what the weather conditions, with numerous undercover facilities available at the showgrounds.
With overwhelming support last year, event organisers have made sure to provide additional and cheaper food options at this year’s event, though they still encourage families to bring a picnic and to pick a spot in front of the stage.
The Whittlesea Christmas Festival is an alcohol-free event.
