Toowoomba CBD live music venues to welcome thousands of patrons during Food and Wine Festival

Toowoomba live music venues and pubs that missed out on a big bump in patrons last year due to Covid-19 will be packed thanks to Food and Wine Festival.

GOING LIVE: Getting ready for an influx of people to Toowoomba's live music venues like Bodega are (from left) Oaks Toowoomba's Jake Murray, Bodega Bar owner Todd Farr and SCA's Nick Purdie.

Pubs and clubs are urging residents and tourists heading to the Food and Wine Festival this year to make their way to the CBD to check top-quality local entertainment.

The city centre’s live music venues will welcome thousands of people this weekend, with more than 8000 expected to pack out the festival on Margaret Street over three big nights.

That’s good news for Bodega owner Todd Farr, who has planned plenty of top-tier acts to draw in people heading through the city before and after Food and Wine.

“Bodega is all about the live music, there are no pokies, it’s all just good times and good fun,” he said.

“We’ve got a good mix of local and Brisbane artists coming up, including the Bends playing on Thursday, Chris Tims and Blah Blah Blah from Brisbane.

“We’re open Wednesday to Sunday, but the Friday to Sunday we’re hoping to get some penetration.”

The push has been supported by the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, with memberships officer Deb Robinson hoping it will give CBD venues a real financial boost.

“The chamber is really encouraging locals and tourists to make their way down into the CBD after Food and Wine Festival,” she said.

“They are expecting about 8000 people each night up at Food and Wine so we want them to feed down into the CBD and visit venues like Bodega, the Met Hotel, Fitzy’s.

“Let’s get around them, support local music because there will be lots of great entertainment.

“Many of the venues missed out last year during Covid, so they missed out on all those extra people, so we really want them to feel the love from the locals this year.”