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The Tamworth Country Music Festival is a celebration of Australia's rich country music culture and heritage. For two weeks during January the city of Tamworth (or 'Tam-vegas' as it is known by the locals) New South Wales comes alive, with visitors from all across the country and worldwide coming to join in the festivities. The enormous number of visitors during the bash gives the city a huge economic and cultural boom.

The accommodation throughout the area is consistently booked out for this period up to 12 months in advance.

Contents 1 Preparation 2 Main street 3 Music 4 See also 5 External links

During the build up prior to the commencement of celebrations, the Tamworth Regional Council takes steps to beautify and secure the city, performing such works as:

• Erecting signs to direct traffic away from hot spots, and reduce congestion.
• Pre-Festival advertising campaigns.
• Extensive road maintenance.
• Blocking traffic from four blocks of Peel Street, the central shopping district.
• Co-ordinating and tidying the expansive camping grounds.
• Co-ordinating with the CMAA (County Music Association of Australia) in connection with events.
• Co-ordination with law enforcement and security bodies.

During the music festival the main shopping street (Peel Street) is restricted to pedestrians only. In this area, 'busking licences' aren't required; in fact, busking is encouraged by the local authorities. Thus, many bands and singers set up their P.A. gear and serenade onlookers, with varying degrees of ability. Since January is a summer month with daytime temperatures regularly hovering around 38°C, it is during the nighttime that the city really comes to life, with people heading down town to drink, dance and generally party while numerous bands play up and down the main street.

Country Music Parade[1]

Often, the grungy, rock ridden sounds of an electric guitar being thrashed along with the piercing sound of the bag pipes will fill the air. In recent years, the festival has become not so much a celebration of country music, as music in general. This coincides with the broadening of the genre of country music.

Local community radio station, 2YOU FM is the local source for Festival news, broadcasting on 88.9FM. In the lead up to, and throughout the Festival, this station broadcasts concert information, and reviews.

The CMAA's night of nights entails an award ceremony in which winning artists are presented with a miniature 'Golden Guitar', an award highly coveted in the Australian country music industry.

The Peoples Choice Awards is a rapidly growing award ceremony which has now expanded to include Best DJ and Best Radio Station. This award ceremony uses a populist voting method which allows for fan involvement. As a result, this award is rapidly becoming the preferred barometer for a bands success.

Other events include frequent concerts by well-known country artists, and the Starmaker competition to recognize an emerging talent in the genre.

• Gympie Muster
• Mildura Country Music Festival

• Tamworth Country Music Festival home page at Telstra Country Music
• Tamworth Country Music Festival Website
• 2YOU FM Website