On Christmas Eve, the local community gathered at Kibble Park in Gosford to sing carols by LED candlelight.
It was a delightful evening, with the orchestra, choir and organisers doing an amazing job.
Carols by Candlelight is a favourite childhood memory of mine; I was enthralled by the hush of the crowd, the community of people with happy faces, the flickering candles (I am pretty old) and the communal singing.
Carols in Kibble Park brought those memories back.
It felt like we were all drawn in to sing, to celebrate and share an experience in common.
It was not about entertainment or about keeping kids busy.
The venue was perfect; the “Green Heart of Gosford” is a bit of a natural amphitheatre, and the trees were lovely.
The early crowd enjoyed the cool of the grassy areas, shaded by the mature Liquid Ambers, leaving latecomers with the concrete and sunny spots.
Note to Council; trees are important!
Bless those who chose to turn a carpark into what we now know as Kibble Park.
If you are interested in the history, behind it, visit and have a read.
There are old photographs of the way it once was, including the location of one of the original wells for the town.
I will be there next year to sing carols again with my family.
I very much appreciated the community vibe and lack of commercialism.
Email, Dec 28
Diane Nicholson, Glenning Valley
I completely agree Diane! It was a wonderful evening, and so great to be able to spend it with my family and young cousins. So happy to have it back (I’ve attended every year since I was a kid), and it should be supported in every way possible =)