This year's popular community festive celebration, Christmas Under the Stars hosted by the Westport Club, will be a time for everyone to come together and say thank you.

A special presentation will be made to our local fire crews as a show of gratitude for their enormous effort to protect our region.

More than 7000 people are expected to attend this year's event.

Christmas Under the Stars will be held at Westport Reserve, Port Macquarie on Sunday, December 15 with entertainment starting from 5.30pm.

This year's special guest and MC for the event is country music sensation Tania Kernaghan. Her band is coming up from Sydney and they will do two 30 minutes sets. Favourites include Silver Bells, Oh Christmas Tree, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, and a song written by brother Lee which Tania says is very much an Australian Christmas Song - It Still Feels Like Christmas.

Carols will kick off from 6pm. They will be followed by Coastal Opera; Angus Gill, nominated for 2020 Traditional Country Album of the Year for the CMAA Awards; Dean Weston, who is releasing his new CD next year; Port Macquarie Performing Arts; St Joseph's Regional Jazz Band; Westport Public School choir- and some fun with the ukulele band Z-Chords.

A special performance on the night is guaranteed to tug at the heart strings. Taree performer Hamish McDonald has written an extraordinary song, Ash on Their Face, which is a tribute to our local fire volunteer heroes.

There will be plenty of food vendors on the night, so all you need to do is bring along a picnic blanket and loads of Christmas cheer. Hastings Coffee Co will be on site for hot food and drinks, the MJ street food van, a pizza and spiral potato food van, ice cream, Meg & Me, Sweet & Sour and Tropical Sno and Marine Rescue manning a sausage sizzle available.

Santa and Mrs Claus will pop by to say hello and some Disney characters will be among the crowd.

Entry is $2 donation.

This year, the Christmas Under the Stars event will be a little different.

Anthony Westman, general manager, and his team have decided not to include fireworks at the end of the event this year.

"Our club was the first in Port Macquarie to launch fireworks on the Hastings River and we have full confidence in the care and professionalism undertaken by our pyrotechnic specialists from All Occasions Pyrotechnics. However, this year is different," Mr Westman said.

"Our entire community has been impacted by the bushfire emergency in our town and surrounding region. Weather conditions are still uncertain and across the state the NSW Rural Fire Service continue to tirelessly fight fires. It is in the best interest of our community that the fireworks display is not included in our event this year.

"We encourage the community to join us in celebrating the spirit of Christmas at the Christmas Under the Stars event. This year, we dedicate the event to all the volunteers of our local Rural Fire Service.

"The $2 entry fee for the event will be donated to our local fire brigades to help them continue to protect our community. It will be a fantastic night of entertainment with a magical visit from Santa. It promises to be a wonderful night."

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