ORGANISERS are predicting this year's Folkie will be the one to remember.
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The Port Fairy Folk Festival which kicks off tomorrow night will be the "Woodstock of the West" according to festival director Jamie McKew.
Mr McKew said Port Fairy would go from being "asleep to wide awake" with more than 15,000 people set to converge on the town.
"It's looking like we're going to get the warmest weather in 10 years," he said.
"The weather bureau is saying we'll break records. I think the order of the day will be sandals and beach gear."
Final preparations for the event were well under way yesterday, including a temporary Telstra tower to ensure good mobile phone coverage.
"It's incredibly busy," Mr McKew said.
"There is a lot to be done. Personally we're still doing some last-minute liaising with performers and tweaking the program.
"Production and sound crews, plus electrical guys, are getting the whole thing running.
"The food stalls are going in tomorrow. Basically the arena will hold 15,000 people. It's five times the size of Port Fairy.
"It's pretty much a town within a town."
Mr McKew said the line-up had been well received, with punters looking forward to Xavier Rudd, Tim Finn and Kate Miller-Heidke.
"It's almost like 15 Rod Laver Arena shows on one weekend," he said.
"This will be a classic folkie, it'll probably one of the warmest.
"It will be one everyone talks about and remembers.
"There will be between 5000 to 10,000 people down the street.
"The performers arrive (Thursday) night and Friday and people are already setting up their camping stuff.
"It'll be huge. Bigger than any other."
And for those who have never been to a folkie despite its 36-year history, Mr McKew said they can expect to be overwhelmed.
"It would be terribly exciting," he said.
"It'll be bigger than you've ever dreamed.
"You wouldn't know where to turn. You'd pretty much be gobsmacked."
cquirk@fairfaxmedia.com.au
