Councillor Kidd said in previous years the carols had become an event that was too big to be enjoyed by families. The budget was spent on artists who came from outside of Orange who produced music not appreciated by the masses. 

However that will not be the case this year.

“It just got a bit beyond the simple carols,” he said.

“We started getting external artists and call me old-fashioned but I didn’t recognise the songs they were playing.”

Cr Kidd said the idea behind the improved Carols By Candlelight was a back to basics, grassroots event where families can sit on a blanket and sing along to Silent Night and Little Drummer Boy.

At last week’s council meeting mayor John Davis had concerns people involved in the event might get carried away as had happened in previous years.

“I just really hope it is actually happening the way it is printed,” he said.

“We asked this to be put forward to get back to grassroots.”

He said he hoped the event would be family focused and would not have the power plays and politics of the past. 

“If one particular group starts to dominate this then council will have to be on the committee,” Cr Davis said.

Cr Kidd hoped council would not be forced to intervene. 

“We want them [the committee] to do it and tell us how they want to do it and tell us how we can support them,” he said.

Council has allocated a budget of $26,500. 

Earlier in the year council called for expressions of interest from community groups to organise the event, only two expressions of interest were received. The Orange Theatre Company was asked to co-ordinate the entertainment component of the event.

A working party of community groups that had previously been involved in Carols by Candlelight was formed under the chair of Bruce Buchanan.

This year all performers will be from the Orange region.