Songs by the water and community spirit will be in top form in Emerald this December as volunteers get ready for the annual carolling and music event.
Carols by the Lake will return to Emerald this Christmas led by the Cardinia Civic Concert Band on the evening of Friday 15 December.
The night kicks off with a community picnic and carols from 5.30pm to 7pm led by local primary schools and local talents yet to be announced at the bandstand in Emerald Lake Park
“You can picnic under the trees and look out to the water while you listen to the carols,” said a member of the volunteer team, Russell Soderlund.
“It’s just really pretty and really quite moving as well,” he said.
From 7.30 pm the Cardinia Civic Concert Band will lead the carols and attendees are encouraged to join in for the singing.
“We’ve got some really lovely singing and people can join in, there will be a little carols booklet,” Mr Soderlund said.
“We definitely have a few titles that everybody knows.,” he said.
There will also be a special scavenger hunt at the lake for kids to take part in on the night, with clues to special spots throughout the park.
“If you get the six of them, you then head back to the main area and you’ll get a special prize,” he said.
A collection will go around on the night and be donated to the SES and CFA in Emerald.
“The event is free, but we take up a collection through the carols,” Mr Soderlund said.
The event is made possible by the hard work of the dedicated volunteers, Cardinia Council, Barry Plant, St Marks Church and the Emerald Op-Shop.
Mr Soderlund said every year the carols event has a lovely community feel to it and the evening tends to become quite magical.
“It’s fantastic towards the end of the night when we have electric candles, you can see all those people sitting there and singing,“ he said.
“With the nature, the lights and the decorations on the stage – It’s almost like a wonderland.“
