RAIN did not deter thousands of festival goers from celebrating the official opening and a soggy start to the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Friday night.
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There were lights, music and action as Bicentennial Park was transformed into a country music Mecca.
Organisers had earlier held their breath as mid-afternoon torrential rain took hold of the city, leaving camping sites water logged and Peel St wanderers ducking for cover.
But there was some reprieve about 4pm when the rain subsided and the sky began to clear.
The event was hosted by Pete Denahy and began with a short film on the history of the festival, featuring late greats and industry stalwarts including Smoky Dawson and Slim Dusty.
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson officially welcomed the abundance of guests and local residents to the 45th annual festival on behalf of the state government and revved them all up for 10 days of world class entertainment and events.
“Welcome to our great city,” he said. “I live here, I love it and you will too.”
Mayor Col Murray officially declared the festival open.
“It’s great to see this happen every year,” he said.
“It’s my favourite time of the year as mayor.
“It is with great pleasure that I offer those famous words – ‘let the music begin’.”
Cr Murray also paid tribute to a band of organisers who had worked for the last year on the event. But it wasn’t long before the rain took hold again, with many festival goers already prepared and armed with umbrellas and rain coats.
Special guests took to the stage and serenaded the audience. The newly-graduated CMAA Academy of Country Music class opened the big event with a medley of Aussie classics followed by The Bush Wackers, which included CMAA president Dobe Newton.
Mitch King, the 2016 busking champion, wowed the crowd along with festival favourites Amber Lawrence, Catherine Britt and 2016 Toyota Star Maker winner Karin Page.
The event also marked ten days of free concerts at the park.