URUNGAlights, a unique and spectacular Christmas laser light installation along Morgo Street, is a first for the Mid North Coast.

The light festival is running from 11 to 27 December 2022 between 7:30pm -10:30pm every night.

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The opening event on Sunday 11 December is at 6:30pm, until 8pm and will feature a family favourites Christmas carols singalong.

Heather Rose will be singing, with Kaya Boom and local students featuring exclusive drum performances.

There will be a guest appearance by Santa, and the official switching on of the laser lights.

“The twelve high-tech laser light display includes Christmas themes and animation, turning the street into a kaleidoscope of colour,” said the organisers, local business owners Mel Taylor and Bruce Miller.

There will also be pop-up music and carols events in the park and a household and business lights competition.

The events are being funded by sponsorship from Urunga businesses.

Bellingen Shire Mayor Steve Allan said, “It is great to see Urunga businesses supporting Urunga with this unique event.”

URUNGAlights is the brainchild of Mel and Bruce who wanted to create something new, high impact and innovative which had longevity opposed to a big one-off gig.

They envisaged an event that was not weather or volunteer dependent and was a move away from fireworks.

“It’s been years since the local community has been able to enjoy events, we set about thinking how do we create a series of pop-up style events to engage everyone?” Mel told News Of The Area.

“The initial concept was decorations, which then morphed into a light installation and wanting to create a vibe throughout the town.

“What better way to do that than a series of small pop-up events which enabled us to engage a large range of artists from the local area and offer a broader appeal with various touch points within the community.”

Mel and Bruce reached out to all of their contacts for introductions to artists, and the response was overwhelming.

“We are very fortunate to have a wealth of talent in the local area.

“Locals and tourists can enjoy the display at their leisure as they stroll the stunning waterfront on warm summer nights, with pop-up musicians most nights playing a variety of genres between 7pm-8pm bringing the streets alive with music.”

Kaya Boom also plays at an event targeted specifically for the youth of the area.

The strictly under-18s dance party sees Kaya Boom’s interactive drum session and DJ Fella on Saturday December 17 from 5.30-7.30pm, supported by the Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen and CDAT.

Parents are welcome to come for a boogie too.

“We would not have been able to create such a dynamic summer series without the support of local businesses, in particular the generosity of Club Urunga, in conjunction with Urunga Business and Community, Oceanview Hotel, Raleigh Wines, Mid Coast Tiles, Cardows, Urunga Pharmacy to name a few,” said Mel.

“And a big shout out to Steve’s Lighting and Sound for his wonderful creation and installation work.”

Event times and more information are available on Facebook @urungalights or at www.urungalights.com.au.

By Andrea FERRARI