Tamworth Country Music Festival is almost upon us, a fact that will become increasingly apparent for motorists as some streets begin to close from Sunday January 14.
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Whether you're a visiting country music fan or a local following your daily routine, here's your guide to road closures and redirections for the 2024 festival, which runs from January 19 to 28.
The road closures are largely following the same pattern as last year, with one major exception we'll mention later.
First up, the road through Fitzroy Plaza - between Peel Street and Kable Avenue - will be shut from 6am on Sunday, January 14, to give organisers time to set up for the festival's start on the following Friday.
Next, Fitzroy Street will close from Smith Place near, Tamworth town hall, down to Peel Street on Tuesday, January 16.
These first two closures are not expected to have large impacts on traffic flows.
Instead, motorists will really start feeling the squeeze from Wednesday, January 17, when sections of Peel Street and Kable Avenue are set to close.
Kable Avenue will be blocked off between Brisbane Street and Fitzroy Street from 5am so sideshow operators can begin setting up their rides.
The sideshow area is expected to be slightly smaller this year to give allow local businesses to continue using a private commercial driveway near Burgerbulls.
In the evening, Peel Street - the main hub of Tamworth's CBD - will close from 6pm, transforming into the 'Boulevard of Dreams' for buskers and stall holders alike.
So far, everything mentioned follows the same pattern as the 2023 festival.
The biggest change will come on the second to last day of the festival, when an old tradition will be given new life.
On Saturday, January 27, a new parade inspired by the country music cavalcade of years past will march up Peel Street.
Only smaller vehicles are permitted in the parade and most entrants are expected to travel on foot, which means the area for road closures is set to increase dramatically to ensure pedestrian safety.
The entire parade route will be closed to vehicle traffic, from the old velodrome site on Peel Street to Fitzroy Plaza, where the parade will pass through before turning onto left into Kable Avenue and making its way back to the starting point.
This means in addition to the road closures listed previously, there will be extra portions of Peel Street and Kable Avenue from the old velodrome north. Roderick Street will also be closed from 6am to 11am on Saturday, January 27, between Kable and Byrnes Avenue.
Peel Street will stay open for motorists between Brisbane Street and Bourke Street for the duration of the festival.
Divers will also be able to make a clear run over the Peel River Bridge with Brisbane Street also remaining open.
Outside of the CBD there will also be two road closures to facilitate riverside camping.
Carter Street will close from Bridge Street up to where it becomes Plain Street, at the roundabout with Ebsworth Street.
To enforce the road closures, water-filled barriers, concrete blocks, and police presence - some permanent and some intermittent - will be deployed at the intersections listed above.
Aside from the roads affected by the parade, Peel Street will be the first to re-open to cars at 7pm on Monday, January 29, the day after the festival ends.
Kable Avenue, Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy Plaza, and Carter Street will all re-open the day after - Tuesday, January 30.