Australian country music heavyweights Adam Brand and Adam Harvey have been confirmed as headline acts in this year's Bluewater Country Music Festival.
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Brand and Harvey will perform in Soldiers Point and Nelson Bay respectively during the June long weekend festival, which will for a second year be largely driven by the Port's clubs, pubs and live music venues and coordinated by Tomaree Business Chamber.
"We don't have adequate funding and resourcing to run a full blown festival like it used to be," Peter Clough, the business chamber's business development manager, said.
"Last year we ran a website and collated a program from the various of venues who participated and had country music on that weekend.
"This year the chamber is sourcing funds to market the festival. We do know there are quite a lot of venues around here, at least 20, who would like to have some sort of country entertainment on that June long weekend.
"What we the chamber and owner of the Bluewater brand have agreed to do is source sponsorship and money for marketing and pull all the venues who will have a country music act that weekend under the Bluewater brand.
"We're maintaining a website and will pull together a program. Once all the venues let us know who is playing we'll coordinate the program. We'll be playing a key marketing role and are seeking sponsorship."
In past years the chamber has organised the festival itself, or hired an events company to do so.
In 2018 the chamber announced it did not have the funds or resourcing to host the traditional festival format, which included setting up stages and events in the Nelson Bay CBD.
Instead the festival became venue-driven, supported by the chamber, a format that will return this year.
The country music festival will be staged in pubs and clubs across the Tomaree Peninsula between June 7 and 10.
Harvey will perform at Wests Nelson Bay Diggers on Saturday, June 8 and Brand at Soldiers Point Bowling Club on Sunday, June 9.
The pair are well known Australian artists that rose to fame in the 1990s and have each won multiple awards for their country music.
Sam Francis, assistant manager at Soldiers Point Bowling Club, said Brand's performance would be a highlight in its itinerary for the country music weekend.
"The opportunity came up to secure Adam so we grabbed it," Mr Francis said, adding that he believed this was the first year Brand had performed in Port Stephens as part of the festival.
Soldiers Point Bowling Club is one of the venues that features a full program of Bluewater Country Music Festival events from hosting line dancing, free acts throughout the day and two large shows, often including the weekend's headline act.
This would be on offer again this year.
Mr Francis said the club felt a "slight downturn" in visitors last year when the festival became venue driven, but added that it was hard to accurately gauge after one year.
"We've always been big supporters of the weekend so it doesn't change our mentality," he said.
"We'll have a full itinerary of music on the weekend and we'll support it as much as we can.
"I think most of the venues, looking at last year, the clubs and hotels get behind it and support it to keep the country music banner going."
- Keep an eye out for the 2019 Bluewater Country Music Festival here: www.bluewatercountrymusic.com
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.
