Penrith Council gives $10k to light up CBD with Christmas trees

A western Sydney council has signed off on sponsorship to light up a 9 metre tall Christmas tree, in a bid to enhance the festive season and encourage residents to shop locally.

Penrith residents will get to enjoy the return of the community Christmas tree being lit up this year, as the Penrith CBD Corporation hopes to keep people shopping locally.

Penrith City Council greenlit the silly season sponsorship, which will see ten thousand dollars allocated towards ‘Penrith Christmas spirit’.

Business papers reveal the funds were requested by Penrith CBD Corporation to support their Community Christmas Tree Lighting Event.

The large-scale event, set to take place on November 18 at Memory Park and along High and Woodriff Streets is aimed to kickstart Penrith’s Christmas season by the lighting of the public Christmas tree, local entertainment and kids activities.

The Christmas tree at the centre of it all will be bigger and better than ever standing at 30 ft tall, gaining an extra ten feet in height since 2019.

Pictures: Penrith CBD Corporation

Giant candy canes and fairy tale favorites are planned.

High Street, Penrith during 2019’s Community Christmas Event.

Penrith CBD Corporation will partner with local retailers to support later trading and offering special incentives and promotions throughout the event to drive business visitation and foot traffic into the Penrith City Centre.

Based on past years, the event is projected to attract around 5,000 attendees both from Penrith LGA and the broader Greater Western Sydney area with the potential to deliver an economic boost of almost a million dollars to the local area.

Chief executive officer of Penrith CBD Corporation, Gai Hathorne says the not-for-profit had been on the grant waiting list for a while and the newly finalised council support will help bring the Christmas spirit to Penrith.

“After a two year hiatus this year’s Christmas event is more important than ever for local businesses, our message is shop local, dine local and gift local. We want to bring awareness to what all our local businesses in the area have to offer.” Ms Hawthorne said.

“If you live in western Sydney why go all the way into the city to celebrate Christmas, we have everything already here.

“Our theme is Magical Christmas so we will have stilt walkers, storm troopers, glow in the dark fairies. snowmen and a rock climbing wall.”