The Tamworth Regional Council events team is gearing up for a busy week ahead of the January 19 kickoff.

Organisers are gearing up for an influx of festival goers to hit the camping grounds ahead of the riverside site’s official opening on Friday morning.

Road closures in parts of the CBD are expected to come into effect from next Wednesday to make way for heavy infrastructure.

Festival manager Barry Harley said it was full-steam ahead until opening night for he and his crew.

“Our preparations are in their final stages,” he said.

“A lot of what we do can’t be done physically until the road closures, the first are to occur next Wednesday.

“That’s when you’ll see a fair bit of activity in terms of the structures being built, the stages erected and the stalls installed.”

Mr Harley said portable showers and toilets were being moved into the riverside camp grounds on Tuesday.

Locals might start to see some action at Bicentennial Park this weekend as the production crew moves in to set up the Toyota Park stage for the nightly free concerts. 

“From this moment you’ll see more of the hard work that has gone into the preparation for this,” he said.

“You’ll see the manifestation of the Peel St closures with the inclusion of the Fan Zone stages, the conversion of the old Post Office into Fan Zone.

“The Town Hall will turn into Coca Cola Country which will be the home of eight days of free entertainment.

“We’ll have the installation of traders, not only in the old Peel Street area but in the new Fitzroy Plaza space.

“There’ll be some added comforts to family zone with a large structure going up to provide some shade under there. There’ll also be some additional amusements in that area.”

Mr Harley said an increase in numbers of families to the festival was the catalyst for more attention in the Kable Avenue family space.