Update from the EO

Hello to all of our wonderful businesses,

It's actually me... Madi! While Amanda takes a well-deserved break for the next few weeks, I’m back as Acting Executive Officer. As always, I’m here to champion our city’s events, initiatives, and updates, so stay tuned for a few weeks of news and upcoming plans. Let’s make the most of the season together!

NORTH Festival wrap-up

As we close out NORTH Festival 2024, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the businesses involved. With the numbers still coming in from venues, we’re already seeing an impressive economic impact from the festival, all benefiting our local venues. So far, the festival has sparked over 111 unique collaborations between venues, businesses, suppliers, farmers, producers, and makers, all highlighting the best of Northern Tasmania.

Many venues have reported seeing new customers coming through their doors, with festival events drawing in fresh faces while also providing their loyal patrons a new perspective. This year’s program has been our strongest yet, and we’re eager to see where the festival goes next.

To support NORTH’s growth, we’ve formed a committee with plans to evolve into a formal board. We’re seeking passionate members with insights and ideas to help shape the future of the festival, ensuring it remains a standout on Tasmania’s events calendar. Let’s keep building on this momentum and continue putting Launceston on the map! Email me at [email protected] to find out more.

Christmas in the City plans

The holiday season is right around the corner, and we’re excited to bring back some much-loved Christmas activities to keep Launceston vibrant and full of festive cheer. The popular Find Santa's Reindeer competition returns, once again teaming up with StoryTowns to create an interactive city-wide hunt! With Santa reading out clues via the app, families can explore and engage with different areas around the city centre in a festive, fun way.

This year, we’ll also bring back Launceston’s signature holiday events: the Lighting of the Christmas Tree, the Christmas Parade, and Carols by Candlelight, along with lively activations in the mall each Saturday. Expect carollers to spread holiday spirit, and the incredible St Joe’s Big Band to fill the streets with music once again.

For families, Santa's Mailbox will be back in the Old Brisbane Arcade. Last year, it attracted record-breaking numbers of letters, and this year, with the mailbox returning to its familiar spot for a third year, we’re anticipating an even bigger turnout. Keeping it consistent has truly made it a holiday staple, and it’s a delight to see it continue to grow in popularity!

All key event dates are listed in the newsletter, so you can be well-prepared for the big crowds these festive events bring into the city center. We’re looking forward to a wonderful holiday season for Launceston, with everyone’s support making it a magical time for our community!

The twelve shoppers of Christmas

This Christmas, we’re doubling down on our push to shopping local with a new marketing campaign! With increased investment in our holiday marketing, we’re launching The Twelve Shoppers of Christmas campaign, spearheaded by our team members Briony and Brea. Together, they’ve crafted twelve fun, relatable shopper personas like Long List Lucy, Clueless Clive, and Stocking Filler Fran, each with a dedicated gift guide to make local shopping easy and enjoyable. These guides shine a spotlight on our fantastic local businesses, encouraging people to head into the city and discover all it has to offer.

Our campaign has a broad reach this year, with promotion on local radio stations, The Examiner, Google Ads, and social media. We’ve collaborated with a talented local artist to bring each character to life with playful illustrations, adding a visual touch to the campaign. Keep an eye out, and help us spread the word to make this our best shopping season yet!

Retail campaign for 2025

We’re still seeking feedback from our local business community to help shape two of Launceston’s cornerstone retail events —Boutique Week and Super Sale Saturday— for next year. These activations have become highlights for locals, but we want to make sure they continue to evolve in ways that serve our city and your businesses even better.

Whether you’re a regular participant or are considering joining for the first time, your insights can help us refine these events to drive foot traffic, boost engagement, and provide a memorable experience for shoppers. Let us know what you think would make a difference—new themes, formats, or promotions. We want to hear it all! Send me an email at [email protected] to let me know your thoughts, or I'll always be around the city so I can pop in for a chat.

There is lots of exciting things happening around the city! The sun is shining, people are enjoying their coffee's outside again, and a real vibrancy in the air, let's work together to keep lifting up the energy of Launceston!

Madi Biggelaar

People & Promotions Manager / Acting EO while Amanda is on leave

Launceston Central