Local community concert organisation Sunset in the Park has partnered with Port Douglas Community Kindergarten to put on an even bigger and better show this year.

Sunset in the Park is an outdoor music event featuring local acts and performers, first established in 2008 to provide entertainment to locals and tourists during the late-year low season.

This year Sunset in the Park has combined with Port Douglas Community Kindergarten’s Father’s Day Picnic to create a day-long cultural event in Rex Smeal Park on September 7.

The Father’s Day Picnic will start at 11am and transition into Sunset in the Park at 3pm, which will run until 10pm. 

Previously held as separate events, the two events will now cater to both a family and concert-going audience throughout the day.

Volunteers from the kindergarten will man food stalls and run a raffle during the event, the proceeds of which will go back into the kindergarten’s fundraising pool for the year. 

In the past Sunset in the Park has hosted many promising local artists, who perform sets often up to 45 minutes long for no charge. 

Previous performers at Sunset in the Park include Ben (Jammin) Davies, Danny Ross and The K’and Peaches, Omid Master, Kim Hurley, Benny and the Clones, Eddie Skiba, Timber and Wood. 

While the first Sunset in the Park event in 2008 was very successful with an attendance of about 2000 people, financial pressures in the years since have seen Sunset relocate to the Port Douglas Yacht Club, which has now spun off their own version, called Rock the Yacht. 

Last year’s Sunset in the Park returned to Rex Smeal Park, but made an overall loss, throwing the future of the event into jeopardy.  

They weren’t the only ones in trouble, either - Port Douglas Community Kindergarten were forced to cancel their 2013 Father’s Day Picnic due to a lack of manpower and low attendance numbers. 

Sunset in the Park organisers Sam and Sarah Cullen said it made sense to ally with the Douglas Community Kindergarten as financial constraints made it difficult for both organisations to host events on their own. 

“In light of how difficult it is to run large scale community cultural events, we’ve teamed up with Port Douglas Kindergarten to make this whole thing possible,” Sam Cullen said. 

“Of course it also wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have so many talented local artists willing to donate their time and performance for the event. 

“We’re also providing opportunities to these artists to be seen and heard on a community stage unmatched in the region and making sure the beautiful Rex Smeal Park is being utilized.”

Douglas Community Kindergarten management committee president Michelle Vladich also said that the event was a great example of organisations cooperating for the good of the community. 

“Going into partnership like this has made it possible to do things that we just couldn’t do otherwise,” Ms Vladich said. 

“The event is going to be great, especially for dads on Fathers Day that are going to get looked after all day at a picnic then be able to listen to some great tunes all night.”

Mr Cullen also said that Sunset in the Park had been marketed extensively this year to audiences outside Port Douglas through tourismportdouglas.com and other accomodation websites, and that he expected an increased number of attendees from outside the area.

Ms Vladich added that the event was still seeking sponsors and volunteers, who could contact her on 0413213043.