By Ethan Benedicto
The usual venue and date for the annual Carols by Twilight at Max Pawesey Reserve has changed to Cairns Road Reserve in Hampton Park, following tight schedules in the Christmas season.
Larry Sebastian from Casey City Church said that the rescheduling to Friday 20 December instead of the usual Christmas Eve celebration came down to availability, as well as having the special eve and day of celebration saved for the families.
“We’ve been trying over the years to try and move the date from the 24th to another date because it’s always been very difficult to get volunteers – it’s too close to Christmas,” Sebastian said.
“Many of the families, they want to celebrate Christmas themselves, with things like midnight mass and celebrating the eve.
“So it’s been very difficult to get even others from other churches to assist, they’ve got their own programs and other things going on.”
Casey City Church approached the City of Casey in July this year to discuss alternative options, with hopes of still hosting it at Max Pawsey Reserve but at an earlier date.
The change of venue marks a significant change from its traditional venue, where part of its novelty had a strong connection to its location.
The new event to be held at Cairns Road Reserve will begin at 4pm and end at 9:30pm.
A Facebook page under the name of Carols by Twilight – Casey stated that efforts from the group – not Casey City Church – were made to collaborate with other local churches and council members to continue the tradition.
The post also made some clarifications on the funding of the event, where they stated that the council had been responsible for logistical expenses while volunteers “have always given their time and talent freely out of love for the community”.
However, at that point, Sebastian said that the “date was tied to the venue”, and that other, earlier times, would prove to be difficult considering parking and capacity limitations due to Christmas shopping.
“I think what we’re really excited about is the fact that this provides the volunteers and staff and performers an opportunity to be able to perform earlier and to still have the 24th as a time to spend with their families,” Sebastian said.
“It’s been a bit easier for us to get some of the local performers as well so we’re really excited about this year’s performance.”
The Carols by Twilight has been an ongoing celebration by the local community since its inception in the early 1980s, with the Casey City Church taking the organisational mantle in the last 18 years.
It was initially held in Narre Warren’s parklands, where Bunjil Place currently sits, according to the city’s Casey Collections archives.
It has and continues to be heralded as a significant community event, celebrating 40 years in 2015 and after stopping operations during the pandemic, returned once more in 2022.
