School holiday fun
Published on 11 April 2025
The Easter School holidays are coming soon and it’s a fantastic time of year to be out and about in the Valley.
The holidays coincide with NSW Youth Week between April 9 – 17. Council, youth and community organisations are all working together to create and host a range of free activities, events and competitions for young people.
Council’s Library staff will be busy hosting a Manga drawing workshop with Stephen McLeod (14 April) and a special Easter Storytime session with Piper the Story Dog (22 April). Check the School holiday activities section of the Kempsey Shire Libraries website for all the details of these and other Library events.
Service providers and community organisations are combining to deliver events that provide entertainment, food and build connections for families over the holidays. Some of these include the Active Fest on Dunghutti Country (15 April) and the Macleay Options free youth event (April 17).
Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to postpone the Laneway Festival that was planned for the first weekend of the holidays, due to the predicted weather. This huge event transforms Savages Lane and Clyde Street Mall into a hub of music, food and creativity. Discussions are already underway to hopefully avoid the wet weather and reschedule for a date in September.
A big part of the Laneway Festival experience is the opportunity for young people to run a stall, perform, and exhibit their artworks. It’s fantastic that any young people who were planning to run a market stall or perform at the April festival will be offered a chance to participate and be mentored by market organisers in the May or June Riverside Markets, free of charge.
With two long weekends intersecting the school holidays we will see plenty of visitors in the area, getting a taste of our natural beauty, hospitality and attractions. For those traveling through this period stay safe, be aware of double demerits and don’t forget to use the Live Traffic NSW site for updates on road conditions.
Just before we get back into normal routines at the end of April, we get the chance to enjoy the fun and excitement of the Kempsey Show! (April 29 and 30)