Port Stephens ramping up for Blue Water Country and Blues Music Festival

THERE would be no Blue Water Country and Blues Music Festival without its line dancers and this year’s boot scooting attendance is set to exceed 200 people. 

The Port-based Bay Bootscooters and Blue Water Line Dancers will hold social events and workshops for visiting clubs throughout the festival, which will kick off on Friday and run through to Monday.

Blue Water Line Dancers president Margaret Taylor said the groups attending the music festival grew larger each year.

“We bring close to, sometimes more than, 200 line dancers to the area,” Ms Taylor said.

Bay Bootscooters teacher Mel Smith said the festival was the two Port club’s main event of the year.

As well as line dancing events, the festival will feature a lot of free entertainment at d’Albora Marinas and in the Bay CBD across the four days.

There will be markets along the Nelson Bay foreshore and in Apex Park on Saturday and Sunday. 

Festival organiser Jaimie Abbott said feedback from Destination Port Stephens suggested many of the area’s hotels were close to maximum capacity. 

A Port Stephens Accommodation spokeswoman said it was at half of its occupancy rate on Monday. She anticipated last minute bookings, but not enough to fill off of its 270 holiday properties.

For full music festival coverage turn to pages 30 to 34 in this week’s Examiner.