A mountain-to-sea adventure race, a night-time laneways art festival and a food and music celebration are among three new signature events being floated as Coffs Harbour maps out its calendar for the next decade.
The draft City of Coffs Harbour Events Strategy 2026-2035 found current event programming is heavily concentrated on mass-participation sport, such as Touch Football and Oztag, and professional competitions including the NRL, BBL and AFLW, with 76 per cent of current events sport-focused. The strategy identifies untapped opportunities in arts, culture, food, music and business conferencing.
The proposed Mountain-to-Sea Adventure Race would be an outdoor endurance event linking the hinterland to the coast, while the Laneways Art Festival would be a night-time creative activation showcasing local artists. A Music and Food Festival would celebrate local produce and the community through a multi-genre lineup.
Acting Mayor George Cecato said Coffs Harbour was well placed to host bigger and more varied events.
“The city offers year-round climate, large-group capacity, and diverse visitor experiences,” Cr Cecato said.
City Planning and Communities Director Ian Fitzgibbon pointed to opportunities for business events at venues including the Wiigulga Multipurpose Centre and Yarrila Place, alongside a proposed Coffs Coast Exhibition Centre with capacity for 1,500 people.
The Coffs Coast already has strong event infrastructure to build on, including the world-class C.ex Coffs International Stadium, more than 72 accommodation options providing over 5,000 beds, and venues ranging from the Jetty Foreshores to the Coffs Coast Sport and Leisure Park Precinct.
The draft strategy notes events are a key driver of the visitor economy, attracting new audiences and generating year-round visitation that strengthens the accommodation, retail and hospitality sectors across the Coffs Coast.
The draft strategy is on public exhibition for 42 days, with submissions open until Tuesday, 6 October, via the Have Your Say portal at haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/events-strategy.
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