The twang of guitars and the strains of honest, emotional lyrics will ring out across the town as the fourth annual country music festival gets under way on Friday night. 

Festival committee chairman Ray Worland said this weekend looked like being the biggest yet. 

“We’ve really turned a corner now,” he said.

“It’s getting very popular and people are starting to make return visits.

“Terang will be humming from Friday night right through to Sunday morning.” 

The festival received a welcome financial boost yesterday morning, with Origin Energy signing on as a major sponsor and chipping in $5000 from the Mortlake Power Station Community Fund.

Origin’s manager of external affairs for the southern region, Paul Duboudin, said the funding was part of Origin’s commitment to the local communities where the company operated. 

“We are a major part of the community, not only with our power station in Mortlake, but in the wider south-west with our projects in the Otway basin,” he said. 

“This fund is our way of supporting the communities in which we operate.” 

Mr Worland said the festival would kick off on Friday night with entertainment at Kenna’s Hotel as well as buskers along High Street.

A new event on Saturday morning, the Poet’s Breakfast, will start a full day of boot-scooting tunes with the main program getting under way at 11am. 

“We’ll be running buses from The Civic at 7.30am, 10.30am and then again at 7.30pm to get people out to the racecourse in time for the events,” he said. 

“The Hoedown from 8pm on Saturday night features a brilliant Johnny Cash tribute show that was sold out in Warrnambool and had been playing at the casino in Melbourne.

“The day program is full of brilliant acts. It’s going to be a great weekend — we can’t wait.” 

Mr Worland said tickets were still available for Saturday’s main program and the Hoedown and encouraged people to book online at www. terangcountrymusic.com

jwoolley@fairfaxmedia.com.au