Ulladulla's new Blessing of the Fleet Festival chairperson

Mrs Lavalle said due to financial reasons there will not be a parade in 2024 - more on this below.

She stressed the 2024 festival will still be a wonderful community event.

The new festival chairperson is excited about helping to keep this most important community event, on behalf of the Rotary Club of Milton-Ulladulla, going.

She recently took over the role from long-term festival chairperson Leonie Smith.

Fears were raised, at one stage when Ms Smith stood down, that there may not be any festival at all but thankfully Mrs Lavalle agreed to take on the job.

"I felt if I did not take on the role that the tradition of the blessing of the fleet would have diminished," she said.

"I am doing the role for the fishermen basically - to keep their heritage and culture going.

"I also want to do something for the community - I want to bring the community together."

Mrs Lavalle said her committee would be bringing the festival back to basics.

"The parade is really good and it's great for the community, but does cost a lot of money," she said.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any funds and so I am sort of taking over something that is starting from scratch."

She is currently looking out the funding opportunities - via both the private and government sectors.

"To hold a parade we need a lot of money," the festival chairperson said.

"I will give people a parade - if I get the money."

The hub of the 2024 event will be the Ulladulla Harbour area.

The Blessing Ceremony will be a key part of the event, there will be live entertainment on the main stage and Apex Club of Milton Ulladulla will have their games like tug-of-war and greasy poll competition.

"There will be a community celebration but on a smaller scale," Mrs Lavalle said.

The 2024 festival will be the event's 68th year and Mrs Lavalle hopes for the event's 70th year a full festival will be held.

"We have to work our way up," Mrs Lavalle said.

Mrs Lavalle now has greater appreciation for the work Leonie Smith did over the years.

"Leonie has been helping me - we have had heaps of meetings and we have sent each other heaps of messages. I ring her up all the time - she has all the information which I have to learn," the new festival chairperson said.

"I have a good committee with me now and we are doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes things that nobody sees."

Mrs Lavalle says her new role does excites her.

"I love organising events and I am going to take this and make it as good as I can," she said

Mrs Lavalle is married to Tony Lavalle, a well-known member of the fishing community.

She never personally participated in the festival as a Blessing of the Fleet princess entrant but always takes part in the parade with the fishermen.

"I love walking in the parade with the fishermen with the statue of St Peter. I am really passionate about the fishermen's heritage and culture - it means a lot to me," she said.

"Tony is a fourth-generation fisherman and I want that tradition carried through."

Closer to the event, Mrs Lavalle said they would be calling for help from the community to help.

"It's more the hands on work on the day [setting up and packing up] we need the help," she said.

Meanwhile, the Princess of the Ball event will also still go ahead in 2024.

This year's ball coordinator Rebecca Cameron stepped down from the role and Mrs Lavalle the Rotary Club themselves will coordinate the ball.

"This thing [the festival] is so big that you need a committee for the ball, a committee for the ceremony and a committee for the parade - that's what it's going to come down to," she said

Mrs Lavalle will be staging a major fundraiser - 'The Taste of the Sea' in February - details to come.

If people want to help with the festival they can reach out to Mrs Lavalle on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ulladullablessingofthefleet or at mlavalle0419@gmail.com.

Potential sponsors can also use the same contact details.