Every year the small mid-north coast town of Wingham attracts some of the most biggest and respected names in Australian music.
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Smokey Joe Robinson, Daryl Braithwaite, Russell Morris, Kasey Chambers, Ross Wilson, Diesel, Grace Knight, Doc Neeson, Joe Camilleri, James Reyne, Richard Clapton, Wendy Matthews and Jenny Morris have all performed there over the years.
The first Wingham Music Festival was held at the town's Central Park in 2007 but has since shifted to Wingham Showground, where this year it will take place over three days from October 13 to 15.
Wingsong Choir, Groove Collection, Trapps and Galleri will kick off the music offering on the Friday.
Day two stars Frank Sultana, Felicity Urquhart with Josh Cunningham, Hussy Hicks, Round Mountain Girls, ROSHANI, Burger Joint, Locomotive, Hudson Rose and Dan Hopkins and the Generous Few. Wendy Matthews and Grace Knight will perform songs from Paul Simon's Graceland and Tex Perkins and The Fat Rubber Band will headline on the Saturday night.
Sunday's line-up includes The Weeping Willows, Mitch King, Lady Lyon, Grace and Hugh, Tracey McNeill and Dan Parsons, Little Quirks, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, and Ray Beadle.
As well as the big names, the festival also attracts some of the best up-and-coming talent on offer in Australia, artists like singer-songwriter Roshani Priddis, aka ROSHANI, who was named "Breakthrough Artist" at last year's BluesFest in Byron Bay.
"That was just crazy," she tells Weekender.
"It's so nice to make a connection to people in that way."
She says she still pinches herself when she thinks about the evolution of her career over the past couple of years.
"In 2008 I did Australian Idol, then Mum was really sick and passed away and I didn't really have any focus for music," she says.
"It wasn't until my husband Tim came along that I became interested again. He's a muso, and after living in our van for two-and-a-half year we started busking at Circular Quay in 2019.
"He was playing guitar for me but he kept urging me to learn the harmonica, so I did that and it kind of blew my mind, and it naturally progressed to guitar and a whole bunch of other instruments. I then sacked my husband and became a one-woman show [laughs]."
When the pandemic hit Priddis "hunkered down and learned even more".
Tim was living in Taree when the pair first met and they spent a lot of time there and in nearby Wingham.
"We'd go down to Wingham Brush and that's where I wrote that song Paid In Ink, sitting by the river. I ended up singing it on X Factor and it went to number one on the iTunes blues charts; the first original song I'd ever released," she says.
"It was like my gateway back into music."
Wingham Music Festival coordinator Donna Ballard says she was thrilled to secure "such incredible artists" for this year's line-up.
"Visitors from across Australia come to Wingham every year to hear some great music and 2023 will be one of biggest years yet. Accommodation is booking fast so we encourage people to book in Taree and further afield where we can arrange shuttle buses for transport."
Festival-goers can also explore the option of onsite camping at the showground.
In addition to live music, the festival also features handmade wares and artworks, gourmet food and workshops (singing, macrame, yoga, harmonica, painting, guitar, hoola-hoop making, juggling and an open mic).
Tickets are on sale now through Oztix.
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