Central Coast Council’s annual Lakes Festival has been recognised at the LGNSW RH Dougherty Events and Communications Awards, winning the Innovation in Special Events Award.
The award win is recognition of how the now iconic event has evolved since its inception in 2014.
Ten years on, the event is recognised for its innovative partnership model, where Council partners with many other organisations to celebrate, activate and educate both the local community and visitors about the region’s unique waterways.
Central Coast Council’s Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith, said the 2024 event saw the biggest offering of events and activations to date, with 40 events and activations over 10 days.
This attracted over 24,000 attendees and equated to an estimated economic impact of $8.2M for the Central Coast.
“The Lakes Festival is now a huge undertaking for our events team to coordinate in order to deliver a highly successful 10 day event with so many stakeholders, ensuring locals and visitors can enjoy family-friendly activities, cultural, and educational programs hosted by local organisations and businesses,” she said.
“It is wonderful to have the event and all the hard work that goes into it by everyone, being recognised at the LGNSW Awards.”
Central Coast Mayor Lawrie McKinna congratulated everyone involved on the win.
“The Lakes Festival highlights some of the region’s best natural qualities and brings people of all ages and backgrounds together,” he said.
“Winning this award is a testament to how the event has evolved over the past decade—proving that creative, out-of-the-box thinking can lead to truly memorable and impactful experiences.
“This family-friendly event draws huge crowds, supported by the creative ideas and participation of local Central Coast businesses and groups.”
This year’s Lakes Festival will be held on November 7-16.
For more information go to www.lovecentralcoast.com/events
