All is ready in preparation for the “official” start of the festive season in the shire, the 22nd Prolop Light Up Leeton Christmas carnival concert, which will be held in Mountford Park on Sunday, December 10.

Light Up Leeton has put the finishing touches to its own lighting project – illuminating the large pine tree in Chelmsford Place, which was completed with the aid of council, electrician David Dowling and Prolop Tree Removal owner Brett Deaton.

The project has cost about $12,000, with Light Up Leeton chairman Carl King saying the organisation is kicking in about half, with fund-raising now on to meet the rest of the cost.

“Letters went out recently to business houses and service organisations seeking support to cover the cost of the lights,” Mr King said.

“We’d like to give a big thank you to Prolop Tree Removals and David Dowling Electrical for their great support in helping install the lights.”

There will be donation boxes available for community members who would like to make a contribution to the lights and a raffle is being run for the cause.

“They’re not straight Christmas lights so can be used at other times of the year,” Mr King said.

“We feel it’s adding to the spectacle of the main street. They are not just Christmas lights; they are community lights.”

The Christmas carnival concert festivities will kick off with the Rotary ham carnival from 4pm to 6pm, as well as stalls selling food. The four ambassador entrants for the 2018 SunRice Festival will have stalls as part of their community fund-raising.

The Christmas concert kicks off at 6pm with the arrival of Santa, Mrs Claus and his many helpers, then musical proceedings will commence with songs by Vanessa Jennings.

“The concert has a few more acts than last year and there’s more stalls than last year so everything is bigger and better, or at least staying strong and not waning at all,” Mr King said.

Families are encouraged to bring their own rug and enjoy a picnic tea while they watch the concert.

Once the concert finishes, buses will lead the first tours of the Christmas lights of the shire for just $2.

The entire shire can get involved with Christmas festivities, even if it’s something as simple as putting up one string of lights, or one illuminated decoration.

“Solar lights keep the costs down and you don’t have to have a lot of lights,” Mr King said.

The Lions train will provide tours of the lights from next week with bookings on 6953 3777.