A WHOPPING $5,000 will be donated to the Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal after the Hastings came together in song on Westport Park.
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The Westport Club’s flagship community event – Christmas Under The Stars on December 9 – has been hailed a success.
As a result of the event, $5,015 will be distributed to members of the Port Macquarie-Hastings community through the Salvation Army Christmas Hamper Appeal.
Christmas Under the Stars has been held for the past 12 years, and is a celebration of all the wonderful things that make up Christmas – community, friendship, family fun and singing Christmas carols.
A record crowd of more than 7,000 people sang and danced along to a great line up of live entertainment.
Headlining the Westport event was Tim Campbell who not only hosted the night, but also dazzled the crowd with his live performance. Campbell is best known for playing the character of Dan Baker in the soap opera Home and Away between 2004 and 2008. In 2007, he came third in series 6 of Dancing with the Stars.
After headlining The Westport Club’s Christmas Under the Stars event in 2016, the Club was happy to welcome him back to the stage again for another fantastic show in 2018.
Joining Tim Campbell on stage were local acts Riley Paige, Angus Gill, Coastal Opera, Telegraph Point Public School, Port Macquarie Performing Arts, Hastings Secondary College, Port Macquarie Hastings Municipal Band, and Westport Public School. Santa and Mrs Claus also made an appearance, announced via a fitting fanfare by Hastings District Highland Pipe Band, who are celebrating 60 years in Port Macquarie this year.
The evening concluded with the traditional fireworks display just after 9pm, with the waters of the Hastings River lit up for an incredible 16 minutes.
Community and sports manager Jenny Edmunds, said The Westport Club management team is proud to deliver this event to the community.
“The Westport Club wishes to thank all those who came out to sing carols and support our Club in helping the Salvation Army – our donation will go a long way towards helping members of our community who need it most”, Mrs Edmunds said.
The event also would not have been possible without the assistance of volunteers Flamin’ Dragons, Westport Women’s Bowling Club, and the Salvation Army Port Macquarie, who selflessly gave of their time to collecting the $2 entry fee.