After making the hard decision to delay the night by 24 hours due to rain on Sunday, the organisers of Milawa’s Carols in the Park were thrilled to see so many happy families embracing the spirit of Christmas, as they flooded through the gates of John McAleese Park on Monday, 22 December.

The Rotary Club of Milawa Oxley, Dolly’s Addiction Coffee and Piggy's Ice Cream Van were all on site to cater to the crowd, and the glorious weather only added to the ambience of the night.

The Milawa Hall and Park committee said it was once again overwhelmed by the generous support of so many of the local businesses, who donated the 27 raffle prizes on offer.

Each of them showcased local produce and services of the district, with one lucky winner picking up the major prize of a night for two with breakfast in one of Milawa’s premier venues, Lancemore.

The children eagerly lined up to see Santa who appeared in his house from 6.30pm, and the evening truly got under way when the wonderful Jade Gibson took to the stage at 7pm to emcee the night.

Much loved local entertainer Trevor Hourigan had lined up a stunning selection of artists to entertain the crowd and as the sun faded and the candles began to glow, the park turned into a magical wonderland of music and light.

Along with Jade and Trevor, this year’s artists also included Sing Australia, Galen School Choir, Pulsate Dance Force, Charlotte Bongers, Rebecca Scholte, Atty Carr, Tahlia Gibson and Antonia Maher.

But Milawa Carols just wouldn’t be complete if the night didn’t include the community’s favourite lady of song, Denise O’Keefe, who before leaving the stage, was presented with a gift by Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy, to say a heartfelt thank you to her and her husband Phil for all their hard work and involvement in the carols over the past 30 years.

Children gathered at the front of the stage, held up their candles and danced as Jade and one of her students Gwen, sung the final songs of the night, before the evening came to a close.

The Milawa Hall and Park committee said it wished to sincerely thank Trevor Hourigan, Soundalive Productions, Luke O’Keefe, North East Temporary Fencing and the Rural City of Wangaratta, without whose generous support, the evening would not have been possible.