A freak storm was the only dampener on Campbelltown’s launch of the 2023 festive Christmas activities on the weekend.
The summer storm pounded Campbelltown on Saturday night, meaning the Christmas Carols at the athletics centre in Leumeah had to finish a little earlier than scheduled.
Authorities, aware the storm was on the way, started getting crowds out of the stadium around 8pm, three hours after the carols got under way.
“Apart from that it was a pretty good start to Christmas in Campbelltown,’’ Mayor George Greiss told the South West Voice.
He had earlier joined the Rock Around Campbelltown convoy, dropping in to local parks to spread more Christmas cheer.
On Friday, after attending a corporate Christmas party at the arts centre, Mayor Greiss walked back up to the council building forecourt where he was due to light up a big Christmas tree in front of the Queen Street and Broughton Street intersection.
There was a party atmosphere when the South West Voice arrived there, with plenty of families enjoying the balmy weather by having dinner on the lawn area in front of the council building.
Queen Street was closed to traffic between Broughton Street and Browne Street, allowing for amusement activities such as a giant slide to be set up.
“It was a pretty good turnout, which was nice to see,’’ Mayor Greiss said.
At 8pm, the mayor called his own two young children and the two winners of Campbelltown’s colouring-in competition to help him turn on the lights of the big Christmas tree.
The crowd joined in the fun by doing an enthusiastic countdown – 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go.
And at that moment, the mayor and his four little helpers pressed a buzzer and the Campbelltown Christmas tree came to life – to a big cheer from the locals present.
And then everyone just wanted to get a selfie in front of the Christmas tree – naturally, it’s 2023 after all.
Merry Christmas one and all.
