Record numbers enjoy day of music and fun at Grotto Fest

 

Record Attendance for Grotto Fest  

A RECORD breaking number of tickets were sold for this year’s Grotto Fest music festival in Marburg held on Saturday.

The not-for-profit festival provided over eight hundred music lovers with 12 hours of live blues and roots bands.

The fine weather prompted a massive turnout at Jay-Lee Park, with crowds enjoying the warm spring weather while listening to some of Australia’s best blues artists.

Grotto Fest founder and organiser Larissa Cross says the festival patronage has more than tripled that of the previous year.

“We couldn’t ask for a better day, everyone has come out and supported the festival and the charity we are donating to,” Mrs Cross says.

Photo: Rob Williams

Plenty of family fun was also had on the day, with organisers providing a free jumping castle, water slide, book readings and multiple workshops for younger festival goers.

Entertainment for the adults at the festival was not in short supply thanks to the fire dancers, circus performers, street acts and unicyclists performing throughout the day alongside the live musical acts.

Kaylah Vanderkyl has attended Grotto Fest every year since the festival’s inception in 2009.

“You can’t describe the music and the atmosphere here, it’s just amazing,” Ms Vanderkyl says.

The festival featured an impressive line-up of local artists as well interstate and internationally acclaimed blues and roots bands.

Winners of the Bryon Bay Bluesfest Busking Competition ‘Nick and Sam’ and ‘Claire-Ann Taylor’ began the line-up and set the bar high for following acts.

The Royal Artillery worked the crowd, while Brisbane-based trio Brother Fox had festival goers up and dancing.

Crowd favorite Dallas Frasca did not disappoint, providing a climactic end to the day.

Other acts that performed at the festival included local favourite Greg McHugh, roots and reggae group Paua, Women in Docs, CC the Cat and Cleveland Blues.

As well as providing a day full of festival fun, the Grotto Fest donates profits from ticket sales to a chosen local charity or family in need every year.

This year proceeds will be donated to 4-year-old Kane Taylor from Rosewood, who is suffering from Neuroblastoma, the most common cancer in infancy, and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Kane’s mother Natasha says she is grateful for the Grotto Fest donation and the support of the local community.