September 15, 2014
The Heritage Country Music Muster held at Nanango over the weekend drew another bumper crowd this year.
Close to 770 caravans packed into the Nanango Showgrounds.
Nanango Show Society president Les Schloss said on Saturday his impression was that the Muster had grown slightly again this year, though exact numbers wouldn’t be known until gate takings were counted.
Caravans began coming to the Showgrounds for the event towards the end of August.
Les said the weather was just perfect for four days of country music delivered by a wide range of amateur and professional performers.
This year’s invited artists included Bec Hance, Brian Letton, Col Hardy, Dean Perrett, Ged and Trudy Hintz, Graham Rodger, Jeff Brown, John Smith, Kedron Taylor, Peter Pratt, Sharon Heaslip, Steve Passfield, Tom Maxwell and Trevor Tolton.
Bush poets Gary Fogarty, Ray Essery and Harry Pickering helped round out the bill.
They were assisted by lots of keen amateurs who took part in an all-day walk-up concert held on Thursday before the main program got underway, and morning bush poetry sessions on Friday and Sunday.
Fans also had the chance to meet their favourite country music performers up close in a special section set up beside the Showground’s main pavilion, where they could buy personally autographed CDs and stop for a quick chat.
Stallholders selling anything from sunglasses to country and western gear helped round out the offerings.
The four-day Muster, now in its 12th year, is an annual highlight on the “grey nomad” circuit for country music fans.
Profits from the Muster are ploughed back into upgrades to the Nanango Showgrounds and to local community groups.
The next big events at Nanango Showgrounds are a caravanning convention in late September that is expected to attract around 300 vans and the third annual “Waterhole Rocks” old time rock and roll festival on October 17-19.
