08-12-2022
Near perfect weather, festive residents, a massive influx of visitors, and meticulous event-planning combined for one of Crookwell’s most successful events for many years, according to Council General Manager Colleen Worthy.
“From any measure, the Crookwell Twilight Christmas Fair was an overwhelming success,” she said.
“All of the different aspects of the Fair blended together nicely, offering a wide range of activities.
“Shop owners have reported exceptional retail trading, shop owners said they recorded their best-ever sales. The markets, pop-up bar and food stalls were a great hit with a live band keeping people entertained and a constant flow of people passing through, and families and children loved all of the activities in the Memorial Park.
“You couldn’t have ordered better weather throughout the day, and then the park and the main street were gorgeous when the lights were turned on at night.
“There were so many elements that worked so well together… Santa and the elves, market stalls, carollers, face painting… there were smiles everywhere you looked. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day.”
Estimates on the number of people taking part in the Christmas Fair differ but the consensus suggests the population swelled by many thousands of visitors.
“Business owners, shop assistants and stall holders have all agreed they saw many faces they’d never seen before,” she said.
“And many of the visitors, when they purchased items, shared that they had come from well beyond the Shire.”
A highlight of the Christmas Fair was the lighting of the tree in Memorial Park by Mayor Pam Kensit and Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman. At the same time, further lighting with a graphic presentation was turned on in the Main Street and will continue to be switched on each night until Christmas.
Ms Worthy said she was pleased not only by how the event was received but also the efforts put into making it a reality.
“In addition to all of the planning and preparation put in by the Council Tourism team over many months, staff members from across all of the workgroups in Council contributed to ensuring everything came together and worked so well and I am very thankful for all of their efforts,” she said.
“But all the effort would have amounted to nothing if the community and the many visitors to Crookwell did not participate and make it such a feel-good occasion.
“It was a day that will be long remembered and a very positive lead in to the Christmas period.”
The Crookwell Twilight Christmas Fair was funded by the NSW Government’s Reconnecting Regional NSW Program and was an initiative of the Upper Lachlan Shire Council.