SOAKING IT UP: Fans line the barriers for a glimpse of their country music favourites. Photo: Barry Smith 260113BSC36
GREEN-and-gold was undoubtedly the theme at this year's annual Country Music Festival Cavalcade the first of the festival's big finales at the weekend.
Saturday's parade just happened to coincide with Australia Day celebrations, for the first time in five years.
Festival floats and vehicles carried Australian singers and songwriters, who showed their Aussie pride with tunes like Waltzing Matilda and hits like John Farnham's You're the Voice.
This year's judging panel, who decided which floats and equine entries would win, described the event as an "exceptional parade" and one of the biggest in years.
The parade began promptly at 9am but a crowd of thousands had gathered long before to grab the best spots.
When it began, residents and visitors alike stopped in their tracks along Peel St.
About 60 cars, 20 trucks, a dozen utes and vans and a handful of camels and horses of all shapes and sizes soon ferried some of the biggest country music artists and acts, as well as representatives of local businesses, charity organisations and community groups, through the CBD.
Lee Kernaghan was the first country music star to draw the crowd's cheers and was followed by more stars, including Luke Dickens and 2013 Toyota Star Maker winner Kaylee Bell.
McAlister Kemp had one of the most attention-receiving vehicles of the day a black Ford utility Behemoth.
Tamworth mayor Col Murray appeared with last year's Queen of Country Music, Dimity Chaseling, whose reign ended on Saturday night.
This year's queen entrants had their very own float not far behind.
One of the biggest head-turners was drag performer Wayne Rogers.
Famous for appearing on Australia's Got Talent, he sat atop a vintage car in a colourful outfit made up of hundreds of feathers.