Clubs and hotels across the Tomaree Peninsula will take the lead on the Blue Water Country Music Festival this year.
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The annual June long weekend event will lose its festival title, instead it will be called the ‘Blue Water country music weekend in Port Stephens’.
It comes as the festival organiser Tomaree Business Chamber said it had inadequate resources to organise and fund this year’s event, but said it would support venues that booked acts under the Blue Water country music weekend brand.
Sam Francis, assistant manager at Soldiers Point Bowling Club, said there was no way to know how, or if, attendance numbers to its June long weekend shows and events would be affected by the chamber’s decision.
“It’s going to be interesting to see,” Mr Francis said. “We’re going ahead as normal. We have an intensive program lined up for the weekend.
“We’re usually pretty busy the weekend. In the past, the Sunday show at the club has been the major act of the festival. Tomaree Business Chamber has handled this in the past. We have just been the venue.
“We’re doing it on our own this year. Hopefully we get the same result – sell out shows.”
The club has booked Australian country music singer Melinda Schneider to perform on Sunday night.
Mr Francis said he was “really happy” to book Ms Schneider, an act he had tried to secure for the festival in past years.
The club will host a line dancing social on Friday night, the 4 Highwaymen will perform their country music tribute show at the club on Saturday night and the poets breakfast on Sunday morning will return.
Nicole Blue, the functions and marketing manager at Nelson Bay Bowling Club, said it has booked the country music act that performed last year, Cash: Walkin’ the Line, for the Friday.
At this stage, it will be the club’s only country music offering for the long weekend, Ms Blue said. The Johnny Cash tribute show was a sell-out success for the Nelson Bay club last year.
“Because there were multiple venues with shows on last year, we thought we’d bring him back for those who missed out or wanted to see him again,” Ms Blue said.
Shoal Bay Country Club will have one country music act performing across the long weekend. Australian country music legend James Blundell will perform at the hotel on Saturday.
Wests Nelson Bay Diggers is offering a full program of events across the weekend, including free and ticketed live music and two bush poets lunches.
Hundreds of line dancers will descend on the club between Friday and Sunday for socials and dance showcases.
Tickets to shows are on sale now, available to buy from the venue hosting the gig.
Video from the 2017 country music festival
Schedule 2018 Blue Water Country Music Weekend in Port Stephens
Thursday
7pm-11pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Line dancing meet and greet - free
Friday
7.30pm Nelson Bay Bowling Club
Cash: Walkin' the Line by Michael Macokatic - $25
7.30pm-11.15pm Soldiers Point Bowling Club
Line dance social hosted by Blue Water Line Dancers featuring DJ Kickin' Kev - $10
9.30pm-1am Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Kim and Mik in the lounge - free
Saturday
9.30am Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Dance Showcase by Bay Scooters - free
12pm-2pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Bush Poets Lunch with The Rhymer from Ryde (Graeme Johnson) in Bay Brasserie - free
12.30pm-4pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Line Dance Social hosted by Bay Bootscooters and Coastal Bootscooters featuring DJ's Chris and Bev - $10
7.30pm-9.30pm Shoal Bay Country Club
James Blundell - $24
7.30pm-10.30pm Soldiers Point Bowling Club
4 Highwaymen - $25
8pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Hurricane Fall - $10
8pm Nelson Bay Golf Club
Drew McAlister and band – $22.50 non-members, $25 members
9.30pm-1am Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Jade Holland and band – free
Sunday
8am-11am Soliders Point Bowling Club
Poets breakfast - $15
Breakfast from 8am-9am, verse and entertainment from poets 9am-11am
11am-4pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Line Dance Social and dance classes hosted by Bay Bootscooters featuring Kickin’ Country's DJ's Kevin and Maria - $12
12pm-2pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
Bush Poets Lunch with Minmi Magster Bob Skeleton - free
6pm-9pm Soldiers Point Bowling Club
Melinda Schneider: Great Women of Country - $39
8pm-11pm Wests Nelson Bay Diggers
The Footloose Band - free
Monday
10am d'Albora Marina, Nelson Bay
Longest line dance
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
