A year after fires ravaged the area, organisers of the 2019 Terang Country Music Festival are hoping this year's event will go off without a glitch.
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The annual three-day musical feast was cancelled last year after fire threatened the south-west.
Event organiser Geoff Barby said in hindsight the decision to abandon the popular gathering could have saved lives.
"We had to cancel last year at 9.30 on Saturday night," he said.
"We made the call to get everyone out while we had lights and could see what we were doing.
"Twenty minutes later the lights were out."
As a former Powercor employee Mr Barby said his instincts told him tragedy was imminent.
"We had to evacuate all the campers from the racecourse," he said.
"About 60 caravans all formed a line and moved to the Rec Reserve.
"Those strangers all became a group of people escaping something, together."
Mr Barby said the committee would pay tribute to all of those affected by the 2018 fires at this weekend's event.
"The ground has cooled but the town is still recovering and will do for quite some time," he said.
"More than 26 homes in our town were gone in a flash.
"I might get emotional talking about it but I think we need to recognise the anniversary."
Other tributes will flow for retiring volunteers.
"They are the backbone of events like this," Mr Barby said.
"I'm astonished by this group. They all just turn up and make stuff happen."
This year's program will include items the committee were forced to forfeit last March.
"We didn't get to run our Sunday full-day program so this year we're hoping to impress with all of those activities from 9.30am to 12.30 lunchtime," Mr Barby said.
"And I know I'm no expert but there is some really good music on offer this year.
"It's such a wide and varied genre of music.
"I think The Bakersfield Glee Club is one to watch."
This will be the ninth Terang Country Music Festival.
The event usually attracts between 800 to 1000 music lovers and includes food and drink stalls and vintage car displays.
"And you can't go past this beautiful setting under the trees," Mr Barby said.
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