Tamworth prepares to light the Christmas tree marking the start of the festive season and summer of micro-events

In preparation for Friday's lighting of the Christmas tree, a jolly addition has taken over the city centre as Tamworth counts down to the arrival of the man in red.

From 6pm to 8:30pm on Friday night, Tamworthians are invited to a night of festive fun with face painting, fire truck tours, Christmas craft and live music set to take place in Fitzroy Plaza.

A jolly night of Christmas cheer has been planned to light up the tree and kick off the holiday season.

Organisers are considering the event a gift and Barry Harley from Tamworth Regional Council said it would be the first of a busy summer of community events.

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"It's really exciting because the best events are those with the most community engagement," he said.

The glow of the Christmas tree will act as a light at the end of the tunnel for many residents who have done it tough over the last year.

"We've had 18 months, nearly two years of being locked up and not able to do bits and pieces," Mr Harley said.

"This is really exciting from the point of view of a first step to a near normal existence."

Not only will Friday's event launch the beginning of the Christmas countdown, but it also marks the start of a series of highly anticipated micro-events in the CBD over December, January and February.

Although Mr Harley said council was keen to welcome back the community, especially after last year's tree lighting was unable to run as normal, necessary precautions were being taken to ensure a COVID-safe event.

While Santa himself will be making the long journey from the North Pole to be there, Mr Harley said photos with Mr Claus would not be allowed to avoid getting him sick before his busiest time of year.

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