Wollongong Harbour will see a host of family friendly activities take place on Sunday 26 January, with an evening fireworks display bookending the program of roving entertainment, pop-up street shows, jumping castles and food trucks from 5pm.
A Welcome to Country will begin the program of events, that also includes a special lantern-making workshop and parade in collaboration with theatrical events partner Ikara and the Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation.
The workshop in Osborne Park from 5pm invites kids to build and decorate their own lantern, with the help of local Aboriginal artists, to feature in a lantern parade around the harbour from 8.20pm.
The parade will be led by a giant lantern featuring the stunning 'Gurangaty' from the local dreaming story about the creation of the Illawarra rivers and waterways. A musical telling of this Dreamtime story will accompany the parade.
Other roving performances will be offered by Junkyard Beats, who play instruments made entirely from 'junk', Giant Seagulls (not the ones you expect), Unicycle Ballet, Latin dance performance troupe Cha Cha Del Mar, and renowned variety performer Corey Pickett.
All performers will showcase their talents from 5pm leading up to the fireworks display that will light up the sky from 9pm.
To ensure public viewing events are accessible to all people in our community, Council will also operate its accessible viewing area at Belmore Basin where people with disability and their families and carers can enjoy a front row seat to the parade and fireworks show.
It continues Council's partnership with disability support services provider The Cram Foundation as part of a commitment to ensuring planning of events includes measures that make them more inclusive and accessible for all members of our community.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said it's important to acknowledge that 26 January means different things to different people,
"For many, a public holiday in the middle of summer is an opportunity to spend an afternoon or evening around our beautiful foreshore with family and friends, and it's something we're happy to facilitate with this program of events and fireworks," Cr Brown said.
"We should also recognise that 26 January is a particularly challenging day for members of our community, and this should be acknowledged and respected.
"I think it's very important to us that the day recognises our local Aboriginal stories, and I look forward to hearing the Garangaty story and watching the lantern parade around our beautiful harbour.
Cr Brown also encouraged people to consider using public transport to get to and from the event with road closures to support the event and fireworks limiting parking opportunities in the area.
"The Gong Shuttle is such a great option for getting to this event,'' she said.
"It's free to catch and you can park your car at the Innovation Campus or in the CBD and then just hop the bus right down to the foreshore area. I'd encourage people to give it a try – I use it and it's a fantastic asset for our community to enjoy.
"Our wonderful public beaches, harbour and parks are there to be shared and enjoyed by everyone and I encourage people to show courtesy to one another when it comes to shared spaces and facilities."
