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Thousands of people are expected to descend upon Wollongong’s North Beach on December 1 for music, food, arts, market stalls, and eco workshops. Corona officially announced on Friday the international touring circuit for their SunSets music festival will this year include the Illawarra. Wollongong is the only Australian venue on this year’s playlist and it will be the first time an event like this has been held on the beach, with the main stage on the sand. Read More: How to get your name engraved on a Wollongong theatre seat Destination Wollongong General Manager Mark Sleigh said the city has been gaining momentum over the past five years is well suited to play host to a festival of this calibre. “Wollongong already has a solid reputation for its music events,” Mr Sleigh said. “However, it is not just our music events that have earmarked us to support a festival of this size and nature. “Major events like Harley Days, various sporting championships and the Crossfit Games have all given us a terrific grounding in providing the infrastructure and advice needed to make them a success.” Festival organisers are following suit with other major events around the nation in minimising pollution. SunSets will work with local organisations to reduce single-use plastic by removing items such as plastic bottles, cups, cutlery, plates, and wristbands. “As a brand that is synonymous with beach culture, we will use this opportunity to educate all event goers on the importance of protecting these salty playgrounds from threats such as marine plastic pollution, so that our future generations can continue to enjoy them,” Corona spokesman Andy Vance said. Similar SunSets beach festivals – which usually feature a DJ and dance-heavy line-up – have been held around the world, including Dubai, Puglia, Ibiza, England, China, Chile and Mexico. The North Beach version is set to run from 2pm to 11pm with headline acts to be announced on August 16. www.coronasunsets.com Read more: State inquiry hears of Wollongong's transformation to live music hub

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