An exciting opportunity for local community groups and event organisers has become available, with hosting rights to the iconic New Year's Eve fireworks displays in Taree and Forster-Tuncurry now up for grabs.
Both events are a long-established way for community and visitors to come together to celebrate the new year, attracting crowds in the thousands on New Year's Eve. And while the fireworks displays have been hosted by MidCoast Council for many years, the time has come to return the hosting to the local community in each location.
A "request for proposal" process will be open 1 – 29 February, inviting submissions from interested parties to host the events in one or both locations.
"New Year's Eve is enjoyed in many communities across the MidCoast region, in most cases with celebrations put on by the local community in a way that builds ownership and belonging," explained MidCoast Council's Mayor, Claire Pontin. "It's a successful model and one we'd like to see embraced in the Taree and Forster-Tuncurry communities into the future."
Council will provide on-going assistance to the successful event organisers over a five-year period, including financial and in-kind support, education and promotion. In addition to hosting fireworks displays, the opportunity to include an on-ground event as part of the celebrations brings with it advertising, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities with a large and captive audience in each location.
"Not only is this an exciting opportunity for a local group or business to become entrenched in an important event on the MidCoast calendar, it allows Council to redirect its focus to the core services our community has told us they want to see more of," Mayor Pontin said.
