Part of the problem in Bright is we tend to believe people don’t need ‘a reason’ to visit,aside from our natural assets. That’s true of course for people who know about the town but new events are needed to (a) attract new visitors and (b) encourage more repeats.

We don’t need to invent whacky festivals like Parkes did but we do need to come up with some new ideas and carry them through.

PS: We’ve now filled the Audax vacancies.

The NSW town of Parkes has just held its 17th Elvis Festival and raked in $3.5million. It started small with just 200 people – this year, 9,000 attended.

Here’s the link to the story:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/music/parkes-all-shook-up/2009/01/13/1231608671638.html

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24867387-25658,00.html

I am in Brsbane at the moment and the visit reaffirms why I left. The climate is so muggy, it is depressing. I feel claustrophobic without the wide open spaces. I love my tree change to Bright!

And I mean ice cubes. For this heat. Hot down in Bright?

But I think even the Summernats would find Wandi a bit too ‘down market’.

Your above remark about being too event focussed seems to contradict your 18 December post on the Council’s veto of the ARTB’s proposal to engage a special events consultant. You said then “We desperately need to attract new events, as a means of keeping up our tourist appeal in what looks like a very bleak economic period ahead”.

I’m not seriously suggesting the Summernats, although it might be a good fit for Wandi! I can just see a reconstituted Wandi Nut Festival complete with burn outs in the main street and the bra tossing competition.

Bron, I’ve got it ‘on ice’ for you already.

Noel, Oh no, not the Summernats, please! That’s the problem with becoming ‘event focused’ – they are more subject to outside influences and they don’t really breed loyalty among the participants, who’ll just turn up to whichever town has their particular event. Events are necessary but we shouldn’t pin our hopes on them. Btw, I see Wang has sort of ‘pinched’ your Italian Festival idea for Myrtleford. Their’s is going to be in March.

There might be an opportunity for Bright to pick the event up if it does not go ahead in Canberra next year, but I question whether you’d want a crowd of bogans yelling out the Summernats slogan (read the attached article to learn more):

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/poor-crowds-could-mean-end-for-the-summernats-20090105-7a9l.html

I have riden the Alpine Classic for the past five years, and every year the event seems to get bigger and better.

Whether or not the cancellations are due to the economic climate, is to be seen. I am unsure as to the registered riders for this years event – however, you can contact the Audax committee direct and find out.

As to the $20,000 cycles – that’s a bit far fetched. The elite cyclists may have those bikes, but most bikes are probably around the $3,000 to $5,000 range.

I rode the Bay Classic last year and they too had record entries.

Cycling is the “New Golf”. More and more people are cycling rather than other activities. Just have a look at the amount of people passing your place over the past few weeks.