Cobar has continued to look to Christmas for some cheer in the lead up to the holidays with the running of the Cobar Business Association's Christmas Parade & Gala Shopping Night on Friday 9 December.

Over 500 people attended the event, enjoying the local food, entertainment and shopping options that Cobar's businesses and community groups had on offer.

 The town's talent was on show to start off the Christmas Parade & Gala Night, with dancers of various ages from the Copper City Dance Centre performing, along with the Cobar Public School Choir, and then Toomey Tunes singing some Christmas songs. 

ABOVE: The Cobar Public School Choir singing Christmas songs at the Cobar Business Association Christmas Parade & Gala Night [Image E. Datson] 

Local Cobar musician, Kahlia Martin, also provided some entertainment outside of the Great Western Hotel before the start of the Street Parade. 

There were over 20 market stalls to peruse with many local Cobar creative businesses being present, including: Audacious Design Co, Beer or Bore Water, Candles by Collette, Copper City Men's Shed, Face Painting by Bekstar, Handmade Collective, Hippo Earrings, Kangaroo Gardens, Lion Witch Studio, Meralda Station, Mimi J Photography, Ollie and Fletch Handmade, and The Aesthetic Gift Co.  

ABOVE: Children were provided safety gear to have fun playing in the dirt at the Aurelia Metals market stand [Image E. Datson] 

"The Cobar Business Association organises the Christmas Street Parage & Gala Shopping Night each year in an effort to promote shopping locally", said Sharon Harland, President of the Cobar Business Association.

"Last year’s event was our biggest and best ever and I didn’t think we could top that - but the feedback we’ve been getting from those who attended is that this year’s was better! It was great to see the shops busy, a record number of local stallholders participating and more entrants than ever in this year’s street parade." 

 ABOVE: Winner of Best in Parade, the Running on Empty Festival's Santa's Garage [Image E. Datson] 

"And the parade was amazing! So many people went to a lot of effort including the ROEF committee who built a Santa’s garage, the Baptist Church’s “flock” that included sheep and goats, we had Santa on a fire truck, a Grinch driving a school bus, senior citizens partying on the Village bus and the Firies went all out and completely wrapped their fire trucks in Christmas paper!" 

"With financial and in-kind support from the CSA and Peak mines and Cobar Shire Council, as well as participation from many local service organisations, the schools, sporting, charity and community groups, it really was a fantastic community event for Cobar", Ms Harland said. 

"It was a fun and vibrant night blessed with lovely weather. Everyone looked happy and Santa said he enjoyed meeting his best Cobar fans", said Jane Siermans, Library Manager and Vice President of the Cobar Business Association.