A Pyrmontian Christmas
Santa won’t be the only one giving everything away this Christmas. The Pyrmont community aims to raise over $35,000 for Australian charities.
Every year Pyrmont community groups organise a Christmas celebration at Jackon’s Landing and last year the 2,000 attendees raised a total of $35,000 for the Salvation Army and the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.
Organiser Mary Mortimer said the key to forking out the charitable dough this year will be the celebrations’ highlight FABBA, the famed ABBA tribute act.
Ms Mortimer said the Christmas stories will be her highlight of the event, along with the epic closing tune of 1812 overtures by the longest serving band in Australia, the NSW Police Band.
“The 1812 overture, complete with cannon blast, is a fantastic way to end the evening,” she said.
However, the highlight will be more personal for local resident Elizabeth Elenius.
“I’m greatly looking forward to hearing my granddaughter, Poppy, sing in the Pyrmont Kids Choir, and to singing myself with Pyrmont Sings.”
Pyrmont Sings is one of a number of community-run groups and events that have come out of past celebrations. This year, with the Pyrmont Kids Choir, they will weave Christmas tales into a session of festive and innovative storytelling.
Ms Elenius said the event doesn’t just raise money but also recognises the strength of the community.
“The Christmas Celebration has been a great community-building event over nearly ten years. It brings together the original Pyrmont community with all the new people who have moved here from somewhere else,” she said.
“Through the Celebration, we’ve made new friends and a whole lot of community activities have spun out of the event such as the community choir, Pyrmont Sings,” Ms Elenius said.
The celebration was started by property firm Lend Lease but was taken over by the community in the last five years.
The day starts at 4.30pm in Refinery Square, Bowman St and closes at 8pm.
Other entertainment involves Santa’s motorbike arrival and local Jazz band New Young Northside Big Band.
Pyrmont Community Bank and local restaurants Blue Eye Dragon and 1945 will be donating food for the event.
By Nicholas Jordan
