Lake Mac Festival a shore thing for Australia Day weekend

The 2020 Lake Mac Festival will stretch from one side of the lake to the other, with waterfront activities planned across the Australia Day weekend.

Festivities kick off on Saturday 25 January in Thomas H Halton Park at Croudace Bay with a free breakfast run by local community groups and a family fun morning. The 7.30am-noon event will feature live music, yoga, family-friendly games and children’s entertainers Little Scallywagz.

Saturday evening will see colourful lakeside activations at Wangi Wangi, Rathmines, Pelican and Swansea, each with its own entertainment, live music, market stalls and food vendors.

All four sites will operate 4-10.30pm, with a fireworks display over the water proposed for 9pm. A final decision on whether the fireworks will proceed will be made closer to the event, pending weather conditions.

Lake Macquarie City Council Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism Jacqui Hemsley said hosting multiple events throughout Lake Mac made celebrations more accessible to a greater number of people.

“This is about activating our local communities, bringing people together and igniting our night-time economy,” Ms Hemsley said.

A traditional Australia Day citizenship ceremony at Council’s Speers Point administration building on Sunday morning will naturalise more than 90 people from all corners of the globe, while a laid-back concert in Speers Point Park from 3-7pm will keep the good times rolling.

The Sunday Sessions event will feature local artists Tim Harding, GENR8, Hurricane Fall and the Komiti Levai Band.

“We’ll have food trucks at the park, but families can also bring their own picnic, pull up a chair and enjoy the lakeside setting,” Ms Hemsley said.

Saturday 25 January, 7.30am-noon

Free Family Breakfast and Fun Day at Thomas H Halton Park, Croudace Bay

• Yoga

• Live music

• Free BBQ breakfast

• Scouts canoe race

Saturday 25 January, 4-10.30pm

All locations: Big Bang Pelican Foreshore, Lakeview Parade, Pelican

• Market stalls

• Food stalls

• Inflatables

• Live music

Swansea Foreshore, Cedar Street, Swansea

• BBQ food trucks

• Live music

• Inflatables

Foreshore Reserve, Watkins Road, Wangi Wangi

• Buskers

• Fundraiser BBQ

• Inflatables

• Hula hoop workshops

Rathmines Park, Stilling Street, Rathmines

• Pop-up bar

• Food trucks

• Performers

Sunday 26 January, 3-7pm

Sunday Sessions at Speers Point Park

An afternoon in the park with chilled-out music, laid-back vibes, food trucks and BYO picnic.

All Council events across the Australia Day weekend are free*

Go to lakemac.com.au/events-directory for more information.