Christmas has come early to the Coolamon Shire this year as multiple festive events get under way.
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Coolamon's main street came alive with market stalls and late night shoppers as Christmas on Cowabbie's first of two events for the week kicked off.
Launched in 2020 to support the community through COVID, the annual event is back and it's now expanded to two days - with people welcomed from far and wide ahead of the Super Saturday event.
"We came up with the idea to help lift spirits in the town and to try and help the local businesses as everyone was struggling due to COVID," organiser and Coolamon Post Office owner Valerie McKelvie said.
Ms McKelvie said it is the first time the event has run over two days and included a "day trade".
"In previous years businesses have just extended trading hours from 4pm until 8pm," she said.
Saturday's super event will see Cowabbie Street come alive once more with shops to be joined by market stall holders between 10am and 2pm.
![Event organiser and Coolamon post office owner Valerie McKelvie pictured with daughter Keira Crocker, 8, and postie Geoff MacQuarie as 'Christmas on Cowabbie' kicks off. Picture by Madeline Begley Event organiser and Coolamon post office owner Valerie McKelvie pictured with daughter Keira Crocker, 8, and postie Geoff MacQuarie as 'Christmas on Cowabbie' kicks off. Picture by Madeline Begley](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/172474527/9b6e181f-8029-4249-8f4e-fa77b0539d08.jpg/r0_280_5472_3369_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ms McKelvie said 20 local businesses are participating in the event across the two days, along with a number of stallholders run by members of the community or with ties to the area.
As part of the festivities, shoppers who spend a minimum of $20 in participating stores go into a Mega Draw to be announced on Saturday afternoon.
"The draw prize pool is $1000 worth of shop local vouchers and the first prize is $500," Ms McKelvie said.
But it's not only local businesses who are getting on board, with Coolamon Central School running Santa photos at the Up-To-Date Store across both days.
"The Touch Association is also running a barbecue on Saturday," Ms McKelvie said.
Reflecting back to what it's all about, Ms McKelvie said Christmas on Cowabbie aims to strengthen the local community and bring some Christmas cheer.
"The whole premise of the event is to encourage people to shop local and to create something for the community to feel good about," she said.
As to why it's being held three and a half weeks before Christmas, she said that's to avoid clashing with many other Christmas events.
For more information go to the Coolamon Shire website.