Love Lennox returns this weekend

LOVE  Lennox Festival is set to bring thousands of people to the village this weekend for a day of live music, markets, surfing, family entertainment and community celebrations.

The volunteer-run festival, organised by Business Lennox Head, will be held on Saturday, June 13.

It features surfing, skateboarding, dancing, markets, food stalls, family entertainment and a classic car show spread across the town centre.

Local band Pink Zinc will bring its mix of rock, pop, funk and soul music to the main stage as the headline act.

Other performers include Sam Buckley and Band, JB’s Blues Breakers, Lily-Grace Grant and The Mumblers.

Business Lennox Head president Michelle Bailey said the event continued to grow despite the challenges involved in coordinating such a large-scale community festival.

“It is a lot to coordinate as a volunteer committee, but we’re managing to pull it off again this year, which is great,” she said.

 

“We start early with our surf lessons and beach activities, then it’s straight into the dog show and a full day of entertainment.”

Ballina Street will be closed to traffic, creating a pedestrian-friendly festival precinct stretching through Lennox Park, Ross Park and surrounding areas.

A dedicated busking stage will showcase local performers throughout the day, while the popular classic car show returns to the heart of town.

Families will also have access to a dedicated children’s activities area featuring a petting zoo and jumping castles.

Bailey said organisers were encouraging visitors to leave their cars at home and take advantage of the free shuttle bus service operating between Ballina and Lennox Head throughout the day.

“The only thing that isn’t user-friendly is our parking, so we’re really pushing people to use the free shuttle that’s running,” she said.

“If you are on the route, we’re trying to really push people to flag the bus down. It will have the Love Lennox Festival signage on it.”

The festival is also introducing several environmental initiatives aimed at reducing waste and lowering its environmental impact.

 

A newly appointed sustainability officer will oversee the measures, including a reusable container program involving 15 food and beverage vendors.

Organisers estimate the initiative will prevent up to 10,000 single-use items from entering landfill.

Food Organics and Garden Organics bins will also be introduced across the site to divert food waste from landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Data collected throughout the event will be used to produce the festival’s first Sustainability Impact Report.

Despite ongoing financial pressures facing businesses, Bailey said the festival had received strong backing from sponsors and the local business community.

“Every year it’s more difficult. Businesses are really struggling,” she said.

“But we’ve got a really strong community behind us supporting it in the business world.”