Yass’ annual Community Christmas Carols event is on Sunday, December 12 at Victoria Park from 4:30pm.
After being cancelled last Christmas due to coronavirus restrictions, this year’s event is sure to be a hit.
With face painting, a jumping castle, bubble soccer, kids games, food vans and Santa, there’s something for everyone in the family.
For the past twenty years all six churches in Yass have worked together to organise the annual event.
Committee member and co-owner of Trader & Co. Café Toni Neuhaus said the Christmas Carols has looked different over the years moving from the Main Street to Cooma Cottage and now to Victoria Park.
“I think it’s really special,” Toni said. “Actually, there are not many events that all the different denominations sort of come together to do but this is one of them.”
Toni said it’s an event for the whole family with activities for the younger kids like face painting and the giant blow-up game bubble soccer for teenagers.
“We tried to be able to entertain sort of all ages and all different types of people.”
“There are chairs set up for elderly people when the retirement villages have brought down busloads of people.
“But then also, you can bring your own camp chairs, or just picnic rugs or just sit on the ground.”
Toni said the committee wants to give the event a market or festival feel.
Most of the vendors are local in the Yass or Murrumbateman area and will include Christmas gift stores as well, which were sourced from the local markets.
Some stalls include Fairly Good Food based in Murrumbateman, Mountain Trails from Wee Jasper who are doing a barbecue, Yass Can Assist are selling cold drinks and slushies, and Trader & Co from Yass town are selling picnic hampers.
The carols are performed by the Yass Carols Choir, a specially created team of singers from all over Yass.
Toni said the committee is very excited about the event after it was cancelled last year.
“Last year was just too hard because it takes quite a long time to organise,” she said. “We just didn’t know if we were going to be able to be allowed to have that many people congregate together at events.”
“We pulled the pin fairly early on last year, but we’re motivated and excited about this year.”
The carols are a double vaxxed event after the date fell just three days shy of restrictions lifting for unvaccinated residents.
“Obviously, we want to do all of the things possible to make it as safe as possible.”
“It’s the lead up to Christmas and it is exciting,” Toni said. “We have had a very up and down kind of year and I just think as a community, we want to be able to come together and celebrate the end of another year.”
The following Thursday is the late-night shopping and Christmas Parade on December 16 so Yass is set up for a festive week.
Toni said in that week there are a lot of opportunities for people in Yass to come out and get in the Christmas mood.
“I’m really excited about that couple of weeks leading up to Christmas.”
Toni said their rain contingency plan is the Yass Soldiers’ Memorial Hall so to keep up to date on the event follow their Facebook page Yass Community Carols.
By Brianna O’Rourke
