About a decade ago, the town used to have a big party down the main street, with decorations festooning the passage.

But vandalism, a lack of funding, red tape, and a dearth of spritely young volunteers to take up the baton from past organisers, left the end of year celebration in the lurch.

Nambucca River Cruises' Robyn Kennedy was hurt by the negativity that poured out about the town after a comment on Facebook went viral.

"If you want to bag something out, then you've got to be prepared to step up and do something about it," she said.

So she did...with the help of the Lions, the Nambucca Valley Tourism Association (NVTA) and the Nambucca Heads and Valla Chamber of Commerce.

This year, Christmas will be back with a bang on Bowra Street.

On the evening of Thursday, December 12, the road will be closed off for the Nambucca Valley Christmas Festival.

There'll be a free kids' disco on the main stage out the front of the police station from 7.30pm onwards.

The big bearded man in red has RSVPd and will make an entrance at 8.30pm.

And in between you can entertain yourself on the jumping castle, merry-go-round, or with face painting and glow sticks.

There'll be singing performances from school groups, and dance acts.

And local shopowners will get first dibs on bringing their food and wares out onto the street for the party.

Julie Garvey will be holding a 'lucky shopper' competition; anyone who makes a purchase from our retailers in the lead-up to the event will go into the draw to win a mystery prize, drawn on the night.

The Lions Club will be holding their own competition, with a $100 prize in it for the best-dressed shop along the street during December.

And conversations are happening to get our local woodworking extraordinaires to create some long-lasting festive cut-outs to be mounted atop shops along the street.

Robyn is still looking into the logistics, but she hopes to string some Christmas decorations across the streetscape.

"We've got so much here to offer, we just need to work together to build up that positivity.

"It's about supporting the town and your local businesses."

The NVTA has made offers of financial help to other towns in the Shire to decorate this December. And word is that Macksville might be taking them up on it.

If everything goes well, Robyn hopes to make the Christmas Festival an annual event again.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

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