Vanfest will be back in 2019, with Forbes Shire Council general manager Steve Loane stating council was hoping to program the event for March or April next year.
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Vanfest was cancelled this year following a series of recommendations presented to the council out of an auditors report which was prepared after the second day of 2017’s event was washed out by torrential rain.
Mr Loane said there wasn’t time to implement the recommendations from the report and organise this year’s event, originally planned for December.
“We contacted the Bureau of Meteorlogy to find out what was the best weather (to stage the event),” Mr Loane said.
“We found out, on a 10-year average, March or April was the time of least amount of rainfall.”
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According to Mr Loane the March or April period also fitted in well with the already established music festival calendar, while also coinciding with the school holidays.
“In the festival cycle it’s not a bad spot,” Mr Loane said.
He said the council was looking at a sponsorship arrangement for Vanfest, which would leave the risk of staging the event in the hands of the festival director.
“Council is keen to sponsor the event to a set figure and the festival director will take the risk and also take the profit,” Mr Loane said.
“To give it a fair chance council needs to give it five years before it stands alone.”
While Forbes Shire is yet to determine its level of sponsorship for Vanfest, Mr Loane said it could expect to attract between $200,000 and $300,000 in support.
