By MATT NICHOLLS
ORGANISERS of the Sunset Music Festival say they will be back next year, despite poor numbers at Saturday’s concert.
Less than 250 people attended the event at the Armidale Showgrounds, well down on original predictions of 6000 and later estimations of 2000.
Manager Joakim Ho said poor timing and other factors kept the crowds away.
“The event itself went smoothly, but numbers were well down,” he said.
“I think it was just bad timing with Groovin the Moo on in Maitland and the time of the year.”
Mr Ho said organisers would look to increase advertising and marketing ahead of next year and improve the line-up.
“We’ve got plans to mix it up a little it,” he said.
Holding the festival at the showgrounds was also a catch-22 situation.
“A lot of people were saying it was better than A Day on the Green because it was so easy to get to, but on the other hand there are a lot of issues having it in town,” Mr Ho said.
“The noise pollution and 10pm curfew was difficult to manage.”
Mr Ho said feedback on Facebook had been positive from those who attended and said Armidale would be given another chance.
“We’ll go away now and brainstorm and come back bigger and better,” he said.
“We definitely want to give Armidale another go.”
There was a strong police and security presence at the event.
A 23-year-old man was found to have a pink baloon in his mouth containing four green tablets, believed to be ecstasy, after drug-sniffing dog Ferris identified him to be suspicious.
A 29-year-old woman was arrested half an hour later for being in possession of cannabis on a street near the showgrounds.
Inspector Roger Best said a small number of people were ejected from the showgrounds, but the majority were well behaved.
