
All things considered, this year's Tamworth Country Music Festival went pretty well.
That's the view of TCMF manager Barry Harley, who said the triple impact of Australia's worst ever drought, a water crisis and a horror bushfire season was relatively mild.
Advertisement
Final figures are still being collected, but he said it's fair to say numbers were down in 2020.
But he said that was disproportionately a matter of grey nomads choosing to stay home, an anticipated problem.
Festival marketing instead chose to aim in part at locals, but also at new audiences including young adults 18-35 and families. And the old fans will be back, he said.
READ MORE:
The year's biggest lesson, he said: TCMF could cease to exist without constant vigilance.
"This festival that attracts tens of thousands of people away from the coast and to a place that's usually quite hot is a privilege not a right," he said.
"We've got to work very, very hard to keep the experience level very high for visitors who experience the festival - otherwise there's lots of alternatives.
"There's no guarantees in life."
TCMF will give the community an opportunity to give their opinion next week.
Consultation will take place on March 5 at the Tamworth Town Hall's Passchendaele Room from 6pm.

Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au