MEDIA RELEASE

20 August 2026

Tamworth Chamber and Tamworth Business Collective join forces to bring City of Lights back to life

Two-night festival to reignite Tamworth CBD with light, culture and community from 25–26September

TAMWORTH, NSW — The Tamworth Chamber and the Tamworth BusinessCollective are joining forces to bring the City of Lights back to life, with afree two-night festival set to fill Tamworth's CBD with light, culture andcommunity on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September 2026, from 5.30pm to 10.30pm.

Running across Peel Street,Fitzroy Plaza and Bicentennial Park, City of Lights will connect Tamworth'splace in history as one of the first towns in the Southern Hemisphere to haveelectric street lighting with First Nations cultural storytelling, under thetheme Land and Light — where history meets innovation, and the streets comealive again.

The festival is proudly fundedthrough the NSW Government’s Regional Night-Time Economy Program, delivered bythe Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, and marks the launch of abroader push to bring Tamworth's CBD to life after dark, with the monthly LightUp Late series set to follow from October.

Tamworth is one of just 10regional business collectives across NSW selected to take part in the Program'spilot round and has been awarded funding to help deliver new initiatives thatgrow the local economy from day into night. Through the Program, localbusinesses in Tamworth are working together as a Business Collective to delivercoordinated activity that benefits the whole region — building on a tailoredbootcamp that gave the Collective practical tools, expert guidance and a clearplan to turn its ideas into action.

City of Lights Festival and LightUp Late are the Collective's flagship initiatives under the Program — eventsand activations backed by strategic marketing and promotion, designed to buildon what makes Tamworth unique and bring more people into the CBD after dark.

Tamworth Chamber President DaveErrington said the festival was a chance for the Chamber and the wider businesscommunity to come together and reclaim the city's night-time streets.

“TheTamworth Chamber and the Tamworth Business Collective have been working hand inhand to make this happen, and that partnership is what's going to give thiscity its night-time streets back. City of Lights is the spark — two nights thatshow Tamworth what's possible after dark — and from October, Light Up Latekeeps that energy going every month. This is a genuine team effort between theChamber, our Collective businesses and the whole community, and we can't waitto see Peel Street and Fitzroy Street glowing,” Mr Errington said.

Centrepoint Tamworth CentreManager Martin Howes said the festival was a welcome boost for retailers andhospitality venues across the city centre.

“Centrepointsits right in the heart of where this festival will happen, and we're proud tobe part of the Business Collective bringing it to life. Events like this bringpeople into the CBD who might not otherwise stay once the shops close, and thatflows straight through to every retailer and hospitality venue nearby. We'reespecially excited for people to rediscover our entertainment precinct as partof the festival, with cinemas and bowling right on the doorstep. We'reexpecting a huge night for foot traffic across both evenings, and we'dencourage every business in the precinct to make the most of it,” Mr Howessaid.

OFFICIAL

OFFICIAL

About the Tamworth Business Collective

The Tamworth Business Collective brings together localbusinesses committed to growing Tamworth's night-time economy, including:

Camp Grounds, Central Hospitality Group, CentrepointTamworth, Forum 6 Cinemas, McDonald's Tamworth, Post Office Hotel, ThePowerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges, The Press Basement Bar, TPG Hotels (ThePub Group), Tumbl, and UNE Tamworth.

Event details

What: City of Lights Festival

When: Friday 25 – Saturday 26 September 2026, 5.30pm –10.30pm

Where: Tamworth CBD — Peel Street,Fitzroy Street and Bicentennial Park Cost: Free

City of Lights Festival is delivered by the Tamworth Business Collectivewith funding from the NSW Government , through the Office of the 24-HourEconomy Commissioner’s Regional Night-Time Economy Program.

Media contact:

Eleanor Pengilley (GRO Events Group)  

City of Lights Festival – Communications, Marketing, Events& Engagement Specialist

0406 599 643 eleanor@groevents.com.au  

Dimity Smith (GRO Events Group)

City of Lights Festival – Project Lead

0402 373 215 dimity@groevents.com.au

Clare Carter (GRO Events Group)

City of Lights Festival – Project Coordinator clare@groevents.com.au

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