Whether your passion is comic books or gardening gurus, Wollongong City Council is delivering bucket loads of family fun this weekend.

On Saturday, Comic Gong heads south to Dapto’s Ribbonwood Centre for a day-long celebration of everything comics, cosplay, gaming and pop culture.

It’s such a great day out, and a real unifier when it comes to cross-generational fun!

Little kids love the chance to dress up in superhero or Disney costumes, get their faces painted and have a go at some of the craft activities on offer.

While tweens, teens and adults can celebrate their hobbies and passions with similar-minded people.

It really is extraordinary the lengths people will go to in the development of their cosplay costumes. I’ve seen some truly memorable ones at Comic Gongs from years’ past, and I expect this year will be no different.

While there’s always so much to see and do, one of the things I always take a moment to enjoy is the arcade games. It makes for great people watching, and there’s something particularly special about watching parents pass on their hard-earned skills from their youth to the younger generations.

The generation gap is also being catered for on Sunday at the Wollongong Botanic Garden for Botanic Gardens Week.

There’s a range of activities at the Garden across the day – from native plant sales, to the buzzing about Native Bees Stall, the Compost Creations Kids Activity through to a Rose Garden talk.

The day celebrates and recognises the importance of the Garden in our community as a space for leisure and relaxation, conservation as well as knowledge-sharing and learning.

However, whether you’re planning to go to Comic Gong or the Wollongong Botanic Garden, what’s really important is that both events are free.

At a time when people’s incomes are being stretched further than ever, Council being able to offer people fun, family-friendly activities is so important.

Things like Comic Gong and Culture Mix – which is returning again later this year – celebrate who we are as a community in all of our glorious diversity.

If you get the chance, be sure to come along this weekend to one – or both – the events. You’re promised a good day out.