An event like the Albury-Wodonga Winter Solstice is not something a committee hatches but something the community grows, its longstanding MC David Astle says.
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And tonight the light of a community coming together - in solace, strength and love - will radiate across Albury's QEII Square for the event's 10th anniversary.
International speaker Zak Williams, son of comic legend Robin Williams, has flown into Australia to appear at the event that shines a light into the darkness of suicide and mental illness on the longest night of the year.
He will be joined by fellow speakers Associate Professor Jo Robinson, who heads the suicide prevention research unit at Orygen Youth Health, and renowned national broadcaster and author Indira Naidoo.
Astle, who has supported the event since its inception, said it had been "thrilling and rewarding" to see how the Winter Solstice had evolved during the past decade.
"It has grown and blossomed with its range of speakers, performers, school and community involvement and inclusion," he said.
"The ripple effect has flowed to other communities and across Australia - from a grassroots level through to a clinical and government level," he said.
Astle said the topic of suicide and mental illness was a complex one, "afflicted by various taboos and people's reluctance to share their own inner shadows".
"It takes time to approach and dismantle those barriers," he added.
Statistics show that suicide still remains one of the principal killers in this country, particularly among young people, Astle said.
What the data doesn't show is the difference being made in "invisible and profound ways" through events like the Winter Solstice.
"It doesn't show the meaningful connections, the meaningful conversations and meaningful decisions people are making so they are not part of the statistics," Astle said.
"Knowing how much impact and resonance the event has is the reason we do it."
Astle says there are plenty of reasons to join in tonight's free annual community event - whatever the weather!
"Rug up, come along and bring your brolly just in case; sometimes if it's drizzling it's not as cold," he laughed.
It's in the ethereal glow of crackling fire pits, flickering candles, music, and shared stories that the real warmth of this event is to be found.
- The Winter Solstice starts at 5pm with performances by Well into Winter and The Northern Folk; official proceedings kick off at 6pm. The event will be livestreamed on Facebook from 6pm. Hot food and beverages will be available to purchase.
