The sun was shining at Baddeley Park on Sunday, and so was Cessnock's community spirit, as the annual Relay For Life made its way around the track for another year.
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This year's event - the 12th Cessnock Relay For Life - raised about $60,000 for the Cancer Council.
The 2019 relay had been postponed from its original date - October 12 - due to poor weather that week.
It was the first time a Cessnock relay had been held on a Sunday, and the same day as the Australian Postie Bike Grand Prix.
Cancer Council community relations coordinator Clint Ekert said while crowd numbers were down, spirits were still high.
"People were having a lot of fun," he said.
About 100 people were at the opening ceremony at 10am, which was followed by the cancer survivors and carers lap.
Cessnock mayoress Kathy Pynsent was given the honour of cutting the ribbon for the opening lap.
Mrs Pynsent has participated in every Relay For Life, is a long-time team captain of the Kearsley Public School team Le Krasey Krew, has volunteered with the committee and is the coordinator for the Cancer Council's Cessnock transport-to-treatment service.
Transport to treatment is one of many programs Relay For Life fundraising supports - others include research, advocacy and education and prevention initiatives.
Awareness of the importance of bowel cancer screening is the advocacy initiative of this year's Relay - with a giant inflatable poo emoji making its way around the track for photo opportunities.
The relay concluded with an emotion-charged candlelight ceremony, in which loved ones lost to cancer were remembered in a slideshow (see the video in the Facebook post below).
Fireworks were cancelled due to the weather.
Cessnock Relay For Life will return in 2020, and Mr Ekert said the volunteer committee is already talking about "bigger and better ideas" for next year's event.
