IT WAS open mic night at the Tamworth Town Hall as locals got their chance to belt out a few notes about this year's country music festival.
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Tamworth Regional Council's events manager Barry Harley and mayor Col Murray were the real audience at the festival feedback forum, as some locals shared their experiences of highs, lows, heartache and loss during those ten days in January.
The council came prepared to hear a few greatest hits and familiar strains on Monday night, but the feedback was "fairly broad".
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The supposed dearth of buskers, a downturn in business on Peel Street and in the caravan parks and grubby toilets were hot topics, but the extreme heat during festival was a fizzer.
Austin Tourist Park owner Alison Edwards was straight-up "angry" about how the camping situation has unfolded in recent years.
"None of the parks in the last two to three years have had their un-powered sites be full," she said.
She hit out at Riverside campsites filling up before the official start date and called on the council increase its camping rate by $10 from the current $15.88 fee.
Hog's Breath Cafe owner Norm Hindmarsh blamed the reopening of Brisbane Street for a 20 per cent downturn in 2018 and a further 20 per cent loss in 2019.
He said he'd employed eight fewer people this year for festival and explained how his profits were the kind which stayed in town through his workers and family.
The lack of buskers at night time was a hot topic and Mr Harley said formulating the right balance with the street music was akin to the rocket science of "landing man on the moon".
While the feedback was fiery at times, there was a lot of acknowledgement given to the council for its ongoing work.
Long-time festival-goers said Monday night's feedback turnout was quite strong with about 50 people in the room.
To some, it showed the ownership and pride the community has in the famous event.
With a touch of diplomacy and an attempt to bring some wider perspective to the crowd, Cr Murray said Tamworth was pretty lucky.
"I don't think there would be another another city that would not love to have problems we're talking about," he said.
"There's ways we can improve and many things we can do.
"But it is great to see this festival is owned by so many people and they're here for the right reasons and coming up with solutions to consider."