The best, award-winning 2023 community events in North East Tasmania

And local councils also recognised the best community events that brought together people for celebrations, fitness, education and culture.

These events took the gong for community events of the year at local councils across the North East.

The Exeter Community Carols is one of the Tamar Valley's biggest carols events.

The event first started in 2020 and has drawn up to 1000 people arriving with picnic baskets, rugs and camp chair to the Exeter Showgrounds.

Previous performers include Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood and his partner Michelle Rainbow.

George Town council awarded the best community event to the George Town & District Historical Society's 13th Biennial Conference of Convicts & Convictism in northern Van Diemen's Land Tasmania.

The conference attracted an unprecedented 79 attendees who came from all parts of the state and the mainland for the event.

The Society's chose to highlight the history of convicts in Northern Tasmania in an effort to balance the more widely known convict history in other parts of the state.

This theme also proved to be a real drawcard, with many attendees seeking to learn more after discovering convicts in their ancestry.

The conference was opened by the Society's patron, the Hon. Mary Jane Murray Lawrie who travelled from Sydney and explained her descendancy from the overseer of blacksmiths in George Town, Richard Sydes and his wife Anne White, who were both been early convicts on Norfolk Island.

Westbury Town Common Parkrun took away the Meander Valley Community Event of the Year award.

Meander Valley Mayor Wayne Johnston said the Westbury Town Common parkrun has encouraged and established many new friendships, promoted health and wellbeing to the Meander Valley community, and brought a sense of belonging and purpose to many.

"To date, there has been over 3,000 participants in the Parkrun, who have run the combined equivalent of a lap around Australia." Cr Johnston said.

Northern Midlands Council awarded Community Event of the Year to the Ross Village Market

Held on the 3rd Sunday of each month for the past 12 years, the Ross Village Market is consistently attended by more than 100 customers including long-time supporters, locals and tourists.

Customers are drawn to Ross' hospitality and the chance to purchase items while enjoying a chat with stall holders.

The market experience is made possible by the volunteers behind the scenes who give up their time to make it happen.

Dorset Council presented the community event award to the Gladstone Hotel Rodeo 2023

The inaugural Gladstone Hotel Rodeo was the first of its kind in the local Gladstone area.

The event was 12 months in the making and patrons and competitors travelled from across Tasmania and interstate to attend.

The event saw well over 5,000 people through the gate to enjoy a day and night of rodeo fun.

Local vans provided food and drinks, and at the conclusion of the rodeo the band provided entertainment well in to the evening and a great day and night was enjoyed by all.