Festival chairman Geoff Barby said that country music had lured about 1000 people to the Terang Racecourse for the annual event which is now in its seventh year.

With one of the biggest names in Australian country music, Beccy Cole, headlining the day’s line-up, Mr Barby said the move to bring in high-profile performers had paid off.

“This is our seventh year and as far as artist list goes, this is the biggest artist list we’ve every had,” he said.

“Last year we did a bit of an experiment and brought Adam Harvey. We got a bigger name, so it cost a bit more money but we had a 37 per cent increase in people coming so we thought well we’ve got to be doing the right thing.

“We’ll continue to step it up, so we’re aiming for bigger and better things. Beccy is our next step in the ladder of that climb.”

One of the options organisers are looking at for next year includes another big name in country music with a good support artist. Mr Barby said organisers were thrilled to have Fanny Lumsden performing on Saturday having booked her long before she picked up a golden guitar at Tamworth in January for New Talent of the Year. 

He said country music was popular in the region and admitted that he too was now a convert.

“I like all different genres of music, and I’ve always thought country music was about people’s ute breaking down, their marriage breaking up and their dog dying and it’s not like that, it’s just really good entertainment,” he said. “Listening to the locals last night, was just fantastic. They’re just real people and they’ll give you the time of day.”

One of those locals was former Camperdown singer Annie Wall who took to the festival stage for the first time after having moved to Melbourne seven years ago when the festival started.

Mr Barby said the weather was the best the festival had seen in four years. “After waddling around in mud last year, this is fantastic,” he said.

As well as music, there were plenty of vintage cars and motorbikes on display.