Organised by Sarah U’Brien from the Dungog Shire Community Centre, the festival is a free family event celebrating dads and to raise the whole of community awareness of the importance role men play in children’s lives.

President of the Lions club Kim Wright said the organisation was happy to support the event with a donation of $2100.

“The club is made up of fathers and grandfathers and when we were approached by Sarah we could see the benefits in the festival,” Mr Wright said.

“There are a stack of people in Dungog who are not well off and I think this is a great, fun event for the whole family, which will not cost them anything to come along.”

“There was strong support amongst Lion members to support the event.”

Ms U’Brien said all families are welcome to come to the festival which will be held in the old Dungog Public School infants department grounds on Sunday, September 5.

“There is strong research base to suggest that strong healthy relationships with parents assist children to develop strong self identity,” Ms U’Brien said.

“There are many children in our shire living in single parent families with limited access to their father or positive male role models.

“We didn’t want it to be an event that families had to choose whether or not to attend because it was going to cost money.

“If they have to pay there would be families that couldn’t afford to attend.

“Fathers have to be the breadwinner, organiser of the home and also have to step up to the plate and be good fathers.

“And it can be tough so this is an event that fathers can join with their kids and have a great day out.

“I am so blown away by the generosity of the Lions club as well as the principal of Dungog Public School Steve Richard and Dungog Family Support who are helping in staging the event.”

Held from 10.30am to 2pm, the festival will include a jumping castle, sausage sizzle, kite making, craft activities, face painting, triple 000 expo with local emergency personnel, balloons, paper plane making, crocodile experience, dads and kids three legged, egg and spoon and sack races, tug-of-war and a dads and kids boot camp.