Your time starts now: How a frantic two days revived the Party in the Park

When the Bathurst Business Chamber heard that the popular New Year's Eve event had been cancelled for 2023 as Bathurst Regional Council sought to save money, the seed of an idea was planted.

"We as a chamber decided that if we can try to make it [the event] happen, we really want to," chamber member and local pharmacist Sam Forbutt said.

"We ask the community to support local businesses all year round and we thought that if we can get the event going, it's a great opportunity for businesses to give back to the community - keep that spirit alive and keep that event alive."

As the calls were made, some businesses committed to donating money and others committed to donating equipment or planning expertise.

But there was also the little matter of fireworks - which provide the crescendo of each Party in the Park.

"The relationship that Bathurst had with the particular fireworks provider was good," Mr Forbutt said.

"They were really good because the cut-off for fireworks orders was last Monday. That was last orders.

"But they gave us sort of a day's grace."

The end result was that, within a two-day period, the Party in the Park was back on and chamber members were given a crash course in pulling together an event in extra quick time.

"It's an event that is separate to council," Mr Forbutt said of the new-look 2023 Party in the Park.

"It may not be exactly as previous events in previous years because we've had so little time to organise it.

"But we are going to have live entertainment, are going to have food vendors, the fireworks are going to be on, hopefully we will also have a large LED screen where we can stream the Sydney nine o'clock fireworks as well."

The major sponsors for the new-look Party in the Park are Kelso Electrical and Airworx, Vivability Ltd, Professionals Real Estate, Forbutt's Keppel Street Pharmacy, BoxGrove and Reliance Bank.

Mr Forbutt made particular mention of the chamber's executive officer Maria Kamper, who he said had done an excellent job in planning the event alongside BoxGrove.

"To get to this point, it's been a hustle," he said.

"But once we've announced it, we've still got a few weeks to organise the finer details.

"But I think we can make it happen and it will be an event where the community can go and enjoy and celebrate the end of the year and have a really good time."

And as for next year?

Mr Forbutt said he wasn't predicting what would happen in 2024, but "as a chamber, we certainly want to be able to work closely with council to ensure that this event, but also other events that they run during the year, continue to happen.

"Whether that's us as a chamber organising it or finding sponsorship or whether that's something other businesses in town take over, we want to help facilitate that."

Kelso Electrical and Airworx owner Brad Schumacher said he had no hesitation in pledging his support.

"I have been living in Bathurst since I was born, so when I was approached and asked if I could help financially to make this event happen, then it was a no-brainer for me.

"It's the city that I live in, I love Bathurst, and I like to see the best of anything in Bathurst and the Party in the Park on New Year's Eve is something that everybody enjoys and I feel like there would be a gaping hole if we didn't have it."

He said he hopes the public supports the event and "turns up in droves".

"Last year it was packed, there were so many people, and it's such a great family friendly event that I think Bathurst needs."

Vivability chief executive Nick Packham, meanwhile, said his organisation was "really grateful for the support that we receive from the community and we like to give back to the people that support us".

"The Party in the Park, for us, is an opportunity to give Bathurst a Christmas present and we're keen to promote the event as a fully accessible event," he said.

"The Marveloo, which is a fully accessible, mobile change room and toilet facility, will be at the event, so people with significant physical disability will be able to attend with the knowledge that they'll have appropriate facilities."

Mr Forbutt said it had been a memorable few days for the chamber.

"I'm a pharmacist, mate," he smiled. "I don't do this for a living, that's for sure."