Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer with Albion Park business owners Tracey Glynn (left) from Curls & Co Hair Studio and Andrea (right) from Delicious Delights watch a parkour display ahead of Eats and Beats Albion Park. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
UPDATED 2 July, 12.12pm: Heavy rain and strong winds has forced Shellharbour City Council to postpone the Winter edition of Eats and Beats, due to be held on Saturday (5 July). A spokesperson said the conditions had made it unsafe for the events team and contractors to begin setting up on-site. A new date is being finalised and will be announced soon.
10am: Tongarra Road in Albion Park will be transformed into a free twilight festival on Saturday (5 July) in a bid to heat up the night-time economy and spotlight businesses during winter.
Eats and Beats Street Series WINTER will light up the Albion Park town centre from 4 to 8 pm, featuring festoon lighting, visual effects, on-street dining, live music, roving entertainers and even an outdoor cinema.
It’s a welcome addition for Andrea, owner of Delicious Delights on Tongarra Road, who is eagerly awaiting the street’s closure to make way for a glowing hub of festivities.
“Winter can be challenging for the night-economy with cold weather and the notion to stay home, but an event like this is a perfect incentive to get people out to mingle and have a great night out,” Andrea said.
Organised by Shellharbour City Council, Mayor Chris Homer said this twilight event would showcase Tongarra Road and the adjacent areas of Albion Park as a lively community-focused space where people wanted to spend time, fostering a stronger sense of place and identity.
“The Eats and Beats Series is a wonderful initiative to shine light on our local town centres by inviting everyone to enjoy a special street-fest experience and bring the community together,” Cr Homer said.
“It’s going to be exciting to see the heart of Albion Park activated like never before, especially during the traditionally quieter winter period.
“We want to help boost the local night-time economy and this is an incredible opportunity for local businesses to be showcased in a new dynamic way.”
As the sun sets on Saturday, visual effects and festoon lighting throughout Tongarra Road, laneways and the surrounding Mood and Melaleuca parks will create a magical winter atmosphere.
Mood Park will showcase live performances from emerging artists Kiara Castagna, Daniella Walker and Charlotte Hooper, supported by roving entertainers throughout the night.
Among the varied food and dining options will be food trucks joining Albion Park eateries to satisfy spicy to sweet cravings.
A highlight will be the drive-through at Charlie’s Liquor Barn being transformed into a Twilight Tasting Zone, an inviting, pop-up experience styled with ambient lighting, seating and live acoustic tunes.
It will create a relaxed space bringing together South Coast wine and food stalls offering complimentary tastings.
Activities for kids and teens will include glow face painting, lantern decorating, a silent disco, LED dance floor, outdoor movie and the athletic training discipline of parkour available from 4 pm. There will even be a teddy bear health check.
Market stalls will feature creative offerings from Illawarra businesses.
Cr Homer said Albion Park’s town centre was a major development area, with more residents moving there, and to the nearby Calderwood and Tullimbar estates.
“The plans in place for this area make the main street an ideal place to activate, giving a glimpse into what it could look like in the future,” he said.
It builds on the success of last year’s Eco Eats and Beats Street Festival in Warilla, which saw the town centre swarming with people looking to experience food trucks, live music, eco-friendly workshops and an upcycled market.
In partnership with the Albion Park Chamber of Commerce and businesses, the aim is to foster strong community involvement, encourage extended trading hours and boost economic activity.
Tongarra Road will be closed between Terry and Russell streets from 3 to 10 pm, with event parking at Con O’Keefe Oval and some side street parking possibly available.
Eats and Beats Street Series WINTER will be held on Saturday (5 July), from 4 to 8 pm at Tongarra Road, Albion Park (between Terry and Russell streets).
