Were you among the crowds cheering on the first ever Angels in our Town parade in 2022 ? A highlight was seeing little white Angels riding high on the shoulders of first responders, and the dozens that danced ahead of our community's many unseen and unsung heroes. This year, hundreds have been rehearsing for weeks now in preparation for the 2023 parade on Saturday December 2.
"From 3 year old toddlers to teenagers, we have Angels representing Bundanoon, Wingello, Colo Vale and just about every village in Wingecarribee, excited to take flight again in this year's parade," says Lynne Lyndsay, Dance Teacher at The Highlands School of Performing Arts who has volunteered to choreograph the flock of Angels. "Being part of something big like this does so much for community spirit and we're grateful that so many of the parents have volunteered to lend a hand with the preparations."
Moved by the very emotional experience of being among so many community members showing up simply to say 'thankyou', Lynne says the atmosphere of the Angels in our Town parade plays on her personal heartstrings.
"The joy of dancing in the Perth Christmas Pageant every year of my childhood is something that has stayed with me all my life and I'm excited for the kids from our school to have the opportunity to experience something really special like that for themselves by being part of Angels in Our Town," Lynne says.
To bring a little dazzle to paving the way for their heroes in the parade, the Angels are mastering a few different 'travelling steps' within class times, "We need to keep things moving while building some anticipation for the first responders, service personnel and volunteers who follow, by bringing a bit of bounce and style to our steps," Lynne says.
The dancers each enjoy putting together their unique interpretation of an Angelic white costume, accented with colourful, floral crowns. "They get so much enjoyment out of putting on a pair of wings and sharing messages of hope with the crowd," Lynne says.
For Lynne, the positive community atmosphere Angels in Our Town fans into flame is what being part of the experience is all about, whether you're walking in the parade or cheering your heroes on from the sidelines.
"I've made a very happy home for myself and my family here in Wingecarribee Shire for the past 25 years and its times like this, when we really rally around one another, that remind me what it is that I absolutely love about belonging to this wonderful community," Lynne says.
Showing the same dedication to community as the heroes they are honouring with their presence in the parade, the dancers and their teachers are throwing themselves wholeheartedly into rehearsals. "We've barely drawn breath since our end of year concert a couple of weeks ago, and have a major theatrical production coming up, yet these little Angels are throwing so much energy into the additional rehearsals for Angels in Our Town," Lynne says.
Wingecarribee Shire Council is proud to once again partner with Angels in Our Town in 2023 and our team will be joining our community in cheering on our Shire's first responders, service personnel and volunteers on Saturday December 2.
The 7pm Bong Bong Street Parade is followed by a FREE community concert in Corbett Gardens, and is part of the month long Festival of Lights.
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Event Details:
Angels in Our Town
(the Southern Highlands says THANKYOU! to our unsung heroes)
Saturday 2 December 2023
7:00pm Parade to set off from the corner of Banyette St, along Bong Bong St to Corbett Gardens.
7:30pm Free family Concert in Corbett Gardens. Pack a picnic to enjoy in the gardens.
Many local eateries will be open for food and drink.
Plan your visit: www.angelsinourtown.org.au
