According to Mayor Adam Roberts, there are a “host of events and functions planned for both Saturday and Sunday”.

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Apart from the family Splashfests at Laurieton and Kendall pools, all Council-run activities are in Port Macquarie.

These include the free “Cultural Connections” at the Town Beach amphitheatre and the Citizen of the Year Awards and Citizenship Ceremony at the Astronomical Observatory in Rotary Park.

Beyond these, Council suggests scrolling through the “readily available range of social media platforms” for community-run events.

If you’re proudly Instagram and Facebook-free, here’s what Council has planned.

Cultural Connections, Saturday 10am-2pm, Town Beach Amphitheatre: this is a free community event celebrating the region’s cultural diversity under the theme, “We are all part of the story”.

It will feature traditional dancers, musicians and other performers, and is for all ages. Food trucks will be on-site.

The event begins with a Birpai Welcome to Country and a smoking ceremony.

Splashfest, Sunday 9am-5pm, Laurieton and Kendall pools: entry will be free for the first 300 visitors.

There will be music and a barbecue, along with an “Aqua Scramble”.

Citizen of the Year Awards, Sunday 9am-11am, Port Macquarie Astronomical Observatory: cheer on the Camden Haven’s nominees at Council’s Citizen of the Year Awards, which are to be followed by a Citizenship Ceremony.

Space is tight and mostly reserved for nominees and their families, but an audio feed of the awards will be broadcast into Rotary Park where there’ll be ice cream, a coffee cart and face painting.

Following are this year’s categories and nominees.

– The Community Spirit Award: Camden Haven Community @ 3, Alex McNaught, Graffiti Blasters (Trevor Astall & Phillip Constable), Make a Difference Volunteers, School of Hard Knocks Choir, Ellen Crepaz, Hastings NAIDOC Committee, and Guulabaa – Place of Koala.

– Young Citizen of the Year (for ages 12-25): Caitlin Black, Nate Castelli and James Cockshutt.
– Citizen of the Year: Leesa-rae Harrison, Patricia Todd, Melinda Cockshutt, Erika Gleeson, Ian Cupit and Di Bannister.

Councillor Roberts said there are currently no plans for PMHC to move away from officially celebrating Australia Day on January 26.

He appeals to the community to “come together to celebrate the people, stories, and cultures that make the Port Macquarie Hastings region such a vibrant and welcoming place to call home.”

By Sue STEPHENSON