For a few hours, Darlington Parklands became something close to Yarrabilba’s giant backyard.
Children chased their way through zombie survival laser tag, built their own creations at a pixel-inspired LEGO workshop and dressed as favourite characters, while parents and neighbours gathered around them.
Then, as the afternoon gave way to evening, picnic rugs came out and families settled in for a movie under the stars.
More than 2500 residents and visitors attended the free Yarrabilba Family Festival on Saturday 26 September.
“It was fantastic to see more than 2500 residents and visitors come together for Yarrabilba’s Family Festival,” Stockland senior development manager Rachel Dunstan said.
The four-hour festival filled Darlington Parklands with gaming, a kids DJ, face painting, balloon twisting and roaming entertainers before A Minecraft Movie began on the outdoor screen.
Free popcorn and fairy floss were handed out, food trucks served the crowds and the first 200 visitors received food vouchers.
For some children, there was also the serious business of dressing for the occasion, with a competition inviting young festival-goers to arrive as their favourite pixel-inspired adventure character.
But Ms Dunstan said the strongest part of the afternoon was simply seeing people come together.
“The strong turnout and enthusiastic participation throughout the event reflected the vibrant community spirit that makes Yarrabilba such a special place to live,” she said.
With just 150 bean bags available for the screening, families had also been encouraged to bring blankets and picnic rugs before finding a patch of grass for the movie.
“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents, with many families enjoying the opportunity to connect with neighbours and take part in a range of free activities and entertainment,” Ms Dunstan said.
“Events like this play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening community connections.”
By the time the movie rolled, the lasers, LEGO and gaming had given way to thousands of people sharing the same patch of Yarrabilba for a Saturday night out.
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