Neil Hedger has been a member of the festival committee for the past decade and is looking forward to his new role.

"The festival is fantastic, it brings a lot of tourism in for Port Fairy," he said.

"It is all about free family entertainment, it's a very unique festival.

"This is something you don't get anywhere else in Australia.

"The committee is extremely eager for it to begin and bring the event to life, we have a great program in front of us."

The world-renowned Moyneyana Festival will again be the centrepiece of Port Fairy this summer season with this to be the 72^nd time it has been held.

The theme of the festival is Powered by the Community.

The front cover of the festival program has an image depicting that theme, which was created by Port Fairy artist Tom Leembruggen.

The festival begins on Christmas Eve with an evening on Fiddler's Green.

Santa will arrive at 7.30pm with other activities including a free sausage sizzle, jumping castle, face painting, a giant slide, live music from the Port Fairy Ukulele Band while the Port Fairy Belfast Lions Club will be running its spinning wheel.

This summer will be the first in six decades the festival has gone ahead without the guiding hand of Reg Harry.

Mr Harry retired earlier this year from the festival committee after 60 years - the last 20 years of those as president.

"It will be great to have spare time and be able to attend some of the events that are on over the summer," Mr Harry said..

"In a good way the festival has controlled what I have done during summer for a lot of years.

"We all need a change and it will be good for the festival for some new ideas and I'm sure the festival committee will do a great job."

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