Local businesses could be in for a huge festival as early indications suggest that crowd numbers were up over the opening weekend with several venues reporting bumper crowds.
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While Tamworth Regional Council confirmed that Friday night’s opening concert and Saturday’s Family Services concerts were well attended, local publicans also confirmed that the first weekend of the TCMF saw big crowds looking to quench their thirst and take in the music and nightlife that the city has to offer.
Post Office licensee Andrew Coutts said that while it is always hard to tell how the festival will pan out, the first weekend showed plenty of promising signs with a good mix of locals and tourists hitting the bar.
“We were probably up a fraction already this year – maybe 10-15 per cent,” Mr Coutts said.
“It can be hard to tell if we just have a good following or if there is a bigger crowd this year but there certainly appeared to be more people around.
“We had a good mix of locals and tourists as well and they were all loving the schooners – it seems to be more vibrant again this year.”
The publican also tipped his hat to TRC for the improvements made to the shows and action around Bicentennial Park this year, which has a great flow on effect to the surrounding businesses and markets on the street.
Meanwhile, halfway down the main street, the manager of boutique gift store The Lemon House, Madi Bell, also suggested that foot traffic appeared to be on the rise this year after her and her mother took on the shop two years ago.
“The previous owner used to not open over the festival at all but we have had some good trading already,” Ms Bell said.
“The numbers on the street are definitely up and we are selling to a whole new crowd.”
One of Tamworth’s newest publicans, Blake Etheridge, of The Courthouse, was over the moon with how their first festival was panning out.
The former Pig and Tinder manager said that both venues had seen bumper crowds over the opening weekend.
“It was great,” Mr Etheridge said.
“Everyone has been eating and drinking every day from 11am through to midnight at the Courthouse.”
“We are really happy with the numbers already and I think it will get even bigger from Wednesday on.”
Meanwhile, Kootingal Hotel Publican Andrew Yeo said that even the venues on the outskirts of town like his are enjoying the boost.
“We are up 20-30% on a regular week and we have only had a bit of music on so far,” Mr Yeo said. “It’s all looking pretty good this year.”
