Folk festival perfect chance to back town with bucks

ANDREW Gale urges all to invite the city slickers down for a visit this weekend with a huge event planned just outside Warwick.

SUPPORT FOR LOCALS: Bony Mountain Music Festival is back this weekend for its ninth year. Picture: Manfred Vijars

WHAT with fire, water problems and drought, it's a definite no-brainer in the hard times we are suffering in the region that we should be doing everything we can to support local businesses and local events.

What would help even more would be to encourage some of those city slicker friends and relatives to come spend some of their dollary-doos here in the Southern Downs.

One unique event that is certainly worth supporting this weekend is the Bony Mountain Folk Festival, which is being held this week and weekend for the ninth year, at Bony Mountain, just north of Wheatvale. 1107 Upper Wheatvale Rd, to be exact.

A mere 20 minutes out of downtown Warwick.

As we speak, caravanners and campers will have already arrived and set up in preparation for the busy weekend of events.

The gates have been open since Monday and the early birds have been kept entertained with all manner of activities.

The main part of the festival starts on Friday however, and runs through the entire weekend.

Some of the artists include Paul "Pixie" Jenkins, The Hill-Billy Goats, The Byron Bay (Celtic) Dancers, Laura Downing, host Norma O'Hara-Murphy and many, many more, as well as performances from local groups including the Warwick Pipe Band, Maryvale School Choir and the Warwick Choral Society.

Other attractions include a ukelele workshop, a charity auction, Slim Dusty memorial display, blacksmithing and a broad axe display plus special guest Shane Webcke and heaps more.

Entry costs vary depending on whether you're camping. A full weekend entry-only pass for Friday, Saturday and Sunday is $50.

Day entry is $30 per day. Camping costs more.

There will be heaps of great tucker on sale and Sunday night there will even be a good old camp oven cook-up to enjoy.

It's a family event, with activities for the kids and money raised going towards local charities. A great time is guaranteed for all.

So, go on, get on the phone and call those city slicker friends and family and get them to come down or up for the weekend.

I'm sure after all the widely reported horrors that have been endured by this region, they'd be dying to come here and support a local event.

Yeah, and tell them to bring the camping gear and their own water. That way you don't even have to host them at your place.

I might even invite the in-laws.

Gee, I hope they have a tent.

Originally published as Folk festival perfect chance to back town with bucks