Coolangatta Tweed will turn back the clock to the 50s and 60s for the next 10 days with over 900 classic cars, 50 bands and over 100 exhibitors hitting town for the inaugural Cooly Rocks On Festival starting June 3.
With plans progressing at a rapid rate, festival operations manager Bob Newman said the new event was showing all the signs that they are geared up to make this year’s festival better, if not bigger, than the previous festival: Wintersun.
Bob, who came on board nine months ago to help launch the festival, said the event had received amazing support from the local business communities and councils and had progressed well.
“I only came on board in September – we’ve only had nine months,” he said.
“A year would have been good – it would have given us more time to pick up major corporate funding. By September most of their budgets are gone.”
But despite that, he said 45 traders had contributed money to join Team Cooly Rocks On with more joining every day and 28 corporate sponsors had contributed financially and in-kind to support, with more committed to supporting Cooly Rocks 2012.
He said the Gold Coast Council had tipped in money for the event and they were currently in discussions with the Tweed Shire Council.
Bob said there was currently a perception that Coolangatta would benefit more from the event than Tweed.
“A lot of people see the Coolangatta as the biggest beneficiary of this,” he said – with the main parade and festival days being held in Coolangatta.
“But in reality, 90 per cent of our entertainment is actually on the Tweed side of the border. “
It was one year ago when it was announced the Wintersun Rock ’n’ Roll and Car Festival would be taken from the Coolangatta and Tweed Heads border and added to the Port Macquarie calendar. The move caused huge controversy within the local community due to the economic impact the event creates and the passion of its patrons.
The rumour mill was in overdrive, with tens of thousands discussing why Wintersun was moving and the impact it would have on the area.
The Port Macquarie community and tourism bodies were naturally pleased with the shift; however the sun is still shining on the Tweed and Coolangatta and the community has banded together to ensure the festival continues.
“We have been overwhelmed with the positivity from the two towns. It has enabled us to create this upcoming festival and given us momentum to implement big plans in the coming years. We are fresh and ready to go,” said Newman.
Cooly Rocks On has attracted new organisations to the area: Shannons Insurance bringing their Super Rig that is so large it has its own VIP area on the roof; Harley-Davidson bringing their Jumpstart Dyno Machine to give people a taste of what it’s like to ride a Harley; the World Freestyle Rock ’n’ Roll & Swing Championships; and the first and only live Australian heat of Miss Pin-up Australia.
Over 21 venues and six outdoor stages with over 60 live acts playing Rock ’n’ Roll, Rockabilly and Swing. Over two hundred market stalls all stretched out over a kilometre of land, lining beautiful sunny beaches.
Major street closures from midnight Friday, June 10 to midnight Sunday, June 12 will allow 1000 cars to roar through the streets, including two car cruises consisting of approximately 500 cars each from 6pm-8pm Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12.
Steve Bowman, head of the Car Committee, suspects registrations will exceed the 1000 mark. “When I was appointed head of the Car Committee I remember thinking if we reach 500 in our first year that would be fantastic. Two weeks ago we reached 800 and now we’re over 900. I think Cooly Rocks On will easily reach 1000. We are ecstatic with this figure for the first year,” said Bowman.
Australia’s best Rockabilly bands will hit Rockabilly House (Coolangatta Hotel) including The Detonators, The Chrome Daddies, Flattrakkers, West Texas Crude and Corn Liquor.
