Saturday evening was home to a joyous event on Broadway as Junee celebrated an early Christmas in an event that saw great success.
If you weren’t taken by the various performances throughout the night, then you had plenty of rides, stalls, food trucks, games and activities to keep you occupied.
Tony Butt of Junee Business and Trades was whizzing around, making sure everything was perfect for the night, but still took the time to speak to the Junee Independent during the event.
“When you put a hell of a lot of hours in for four-and-a-half hours worth of entertainment and you get this result it makes it all worthwhile, but if you don’t have a good result you think what on earth are you doing it for. It’s very good. The team need rewarding because they work really hard all year to try and make it happen and to have this many people and all the smiles, it’s a good feeling,” he said.
“It’s a bit hot, but there’s a nice breeze. Because we don’t have a gate and nobody pays, some come down early and do the markets and then go home and have dinner and then come back later. Some come later after it cools down. People that pay on a gate usually want to stop the whole day because that’s value for money, but when they don’t have to pay to come in they come and go as they please. And without the sponsors you just can’t do it.
“The school kids performing are really good and that brings a lot of people in because the parents come and we try and make it so once the school kids are finished they try and stop on with the kids and enjoy the rest of the night. It’s been ten years in the making and I think we’ve nearly got it right, it’s been spot on this year.
“Nearly every business in town has backed us and supported us and a lot of the big companies have supported us financially and you need these funds to make it happen. It costs a lot of money to do this and without sponsors you cannot do it and without a gate and gate takings the only way you can get money to pay for it all is through sponsorship.
“When it is a success like this the sponsors don’t mind doing it because they are getting value for their money. It’s when it’s not so good that it is a bit worrying trying to get them again the next year. I think everything has been going really well. All my crew, the JBT team, are all happy with what they have achieved, so it’s a good feeling.”
Mayor Bob Callow acted as MC with Deputy Mayor Marie Knight throughout the evening on the big stage where many of Junee’s dance groups, musicians and children got to perform for a large crowd. Songs like “Jingle Bells” and “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” were performed.
Mayor Callow said, “It’s so good to see the people come out. It’s hot. It’s pretty much grandparents and mums and dads going right now, watching all the kids before and they love it. You can just tell by the enthusiasm on the kids faces, it’s great to see them. As the night goes on and gets cooler the older people will start to mingle and come on out. It’s a fantastic event. It always is.
“Junee Business and Trades does such a fantastic job putting this on. It’s a great credit to them. There’s so many different events and you have the camaraderie amongst the community. Everybody comes out and sees people they haven’t seen for a long time, catch up and then you are bringing in different products and things for people to look at.
“If somebody sees a big crowd here it might encourage them to open a shop in town. You never know. That’s what we’d like to see. If this isn’t a good representation of how many is in town and how many will come out and do things then I don’t know what is.”
Businesses throughout Junee opened their doors for the event and saw plenty of foot traffic, making it both a win for their community, but local businesses as well.
Darren and Rachel Dolan of the Brew at 102 said it was busier this year than last.
Darren said, “It looks fantastic. It’s significantly busier than it was last year with a few more stalls and we are expecting a bigger trade. Events like this help keep the economy strong. For the size of Junee, they are probably coming from all around other towns as well.
“It’s always good to bring more business into town.
“This is our third year and we were trying to reflect on the Christmas times in years that we have gone through. The first one was really wet and it went quiet for a couple of hours and then it got super busy. Business is going great, but how can’t it be with a great community like we are in.”
Rachel said, “Seventy stalls this year, which is good for the town.
“It has kept us very busy at Brew 102 throughout the day with the set up. Lots of people coming in for cold drinks with the warmer weather outside.
“We are expecting more people to come inside once it starts cooling down out there.”
Even the local community groups benefit from it as Rotary raise money through their chocolate wheel and Can Assist, being called in last minute, were able to gain support from the days success.
Fiona Rynehart, President of Junee Can Assist, explained their role on the day.
“It’s just unbelievable to see everyone here. Can Assist got called in to do the barbecue at the last minute because someone had to go away to Sydney for a medical appointment.
“We had a meeting on Thursday night and people put their hand up and we got too many people here. It’s lovely to have so many to help out and we are very fortunate.
“Junee Business and Trades will give us a donation for helping them out, but I just think it’s nice to be out here and doing something in the public and helping people if we can. We’ve had people come up and we make sure people are going alright in this not so good economy.”
Liz Cowled who attended the event said it was a nice event to catch up with people.
“I think it’s a credit to the committee that organised this. It’s been a fantastic event and the weather has played a good part, although a bit too warm. It’s really good.
“As a committee person I know how hard it is to organise things but with the community there is lots of community groups that are helping as well as lots of stallholders. I think it’s a fabulous event and really well organised.
“My favourite part is all the activities for the kids. The free activities and smaller activities inside in the Athenium.”
Was there anybody who didn’t have a great time at JBT’s Christmas on Broadway? Probably not.
-Jack Murray