The month of May will be filled with food, fancy cocktails and family fun with two Illawarra councils pushing to reinvigorate their city centres.
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Both Kiama and Wollongong will host free and low-cost events with live music and performances, food and wine experiences and family entertainment.
Saturday April 30 will kick off a month-long celebration of live music, surfing, entertainment, fireworks and ice-skating in Kiama.
The newly created REVEL festival begins with a free family-friendly Street Soirée where Terralong Street will close so venues can spill out into the open with live entertainment, DJ sets, classic cars, lighting, games and bubbles.
Kiama Council spokeswoman Sally Bursell said multiple events peppered over a month would better withstand last minute cancellations following the past "disastrous" 18 months.
She said smaller events could utilise more performers and entertainers while encouraging visitors to the region for weeks.
Highlights include Mothers Day at The Kazador (a Spiegeltent-style venue at Black Beach hosting an array of entertainment), the Best of Sydney Festival at Gerringong Town Hall, Surfing NSW Challenge Her Team's Classic for females at Bombo Beach, art workshops, and ice-skating from May 27 to June 5.
The festival will sign off on Saturday June 4 with IGNITE - a fire and ice themed event - including a star show on the ice rink, a bespoke VIP long table dining experience with a renowned chef, themed eat street, plus workshops, live music and light show, all culminating in a fireworks display over the harbour.
"We are looking forward to seeing a big jump in mid-week and shoulder season visitation, from families to couples and anyone who is ready to leave their four walls," Ms Bursell said.
It is expected to be a grand affair with $180,000 of state government funding plus the leftover budget from Kiama's cancelled 2021/2022 fireworks going towards producing the event.
Wollongong City Council recently was awarded an undisclosed amount of funding from the NSW Government to produce another new festival, Laneways Live, from May 26 to 29.
Spokeswoman Sofia Gibson is leading the team behind the CBD project which will see performance stages setup in Globe Lane, the Crown Street Mall and in Crown Lane (near Humber) across four days and three nights.
"It's trying to welcome people back to the Wollongong CBD," Ms Gibson said.
"We want to say to people 'things have changed since you've last been here'. It's growing, developing, there's news food and beverage businesses on offer, new things to do and see."
The program is yet to be finalised, but Ms Gibson said the festival would have a strong focus on live music (contemporary, pop and folk) and promote local restaurants and bars.
The Friday markets in the mall will trade later, the Saturday will host a "community day", the Sunday would feature a more "chilled out vibe" with family-friendly music, while live art murals and funky lighting would also be utilised.
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