"The idea is we keep growing it each year as an annual event," he said.

"I know there's a lot of music festivals around, but I think that with the closure of live music venues and the difficulty in getting gigs, they're good events for people to get involved with."

The festival, pulled together by volunteers and held in the shade of a local park, is a showcase for south-west musicians and a chance for many to present fresh material.

Among headline acts this year is celebrated singer-songwriter Neil Murray, who said he looked forward to playing a mix of old favourites and tracks from his new album Witness.

"I'm happy to play there because of course I'm from the Western District originally and it's great to see another little festival start in the region," Murray said.

"Small, community-based festivals can be very enjoyable, very satisfying."

Russ Goodear, who plays guitar and sings with country/blues band The Rusty Bucks, said music gave cultural life to small towns.

"This is the first time we've played Mt Rouse, so we're really excited about playing it," he said.

"We all do it because we love doing it; it's a hobby for us, so our musical journey is just one of having a lot of fun and sharing the music with the audience."

The festival starts at the Penshurst Botanic Gardens at 1pm, finishing about 9pm.

There will children's entertainment as well.