July 21 – 23, 2023

Hughenden QLD 4821

2023 looks bigger than 2022 as HCMF Secures Liberty Academy of Music Tamworth Award for Junior Section 

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We had a great 2022 lots of entrants from all over Australia. The Commitee would like to thank everyone for participating in our Thirtieth Year Celebrations.

Raffles went Big, Talent was Big and our Jackpot on Saturday Night Winner Takes all went Very Big with our Winner taking home $750.00.

HCMF has been in negotiations with Liberty Academy of Music Tamworth, so this year the Junior Entrant (14-17yrs) can Choose the Cole Clark Guitar or receive schooling for a week at the Academy as a pathway to stardom within the music industry ($3400.00) Prize.

You can still purchase your tickets for a 3 day pass online just click the link to pre book. $30.00 will get you into the Air-Conditioned Diggers Entertainment Venue Hughenden. Children under 16 FREE.

3 Day Pass

Luke Geiger @ HCMF

Backed by Southern Comfort & Various Artists.
Playing 21, 22 & 23 July 2023

Talent Quest @ HCMF

Begins Sat 22nd – Sun 23rd.
Sun 23rd (Finals & Trophy Presentation)

Performance Workshop @ HCMF

With Gary Fogarty & Karen Thomsen.
Playing 21, 22 & 23 July 2023

Hughenden Country Music Festival

Dinosaur Country Music Festival

The HCMF is set in the Dinosaur triangle of Queensland; Hughenden, Winton & Richmond:

  • 30 years running

  • 3 full days

  • Benefits in music education through HCMF Association

  • Lions Club support for food/drink and sanitation

  • Diggers Entertainment Venue air-conditioned for your comfort

  • Approx 300 seating available

  • Free Workshops on Friday, the first day of the event

  • Poets Breakfast the last day of the event

  • Lions Club Vocal Jackpot Saturday Night

  • Great performances

  • Live Band backing performers

  • Performers come from all over Australia

  • Monster Raffle for 30 Year Celebrations

  • Market stalls available

  • Sam Burgess Newcomers Award

  • 3 Raffles this year Paronella Park/Mamu, Fruit Cake/Wine, Monster. 

    Tickets $2.00 or  3 For $5.00

Levena Stewart & The Southern Comfort Band  supporting our performers

A graduate of the CMAA Academy of Country Music.  Levena Stewart represented Australia in the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the year, performing at the Gympie Music Muster, awarded with many accolades including the Gold QLD Country Music Award.  

Perform at HCMF
HCMF |
Friday 21st July 12.30-4.30pm

Workshop conducted by Gary Fogarty and Karen Thomsen.

Lunch 12.00pm 

Introductions from 12.30pm for a start at 1.00pm through 4.30pm.

Anyone wanting to listen in on the workshops can do Free of charge!

Friday 21st July 7.00pm-10.30pm

The Festival Opens at 7.00pm usually till 10.30pm.

Dinner 6.00pm 

The Southern Comfort Band will be backing several other artists with a performance by themselves!

Saturday 22nd July 8.00am-8.30pm

The Talent Search Commences for registrations at 8.00am.

Lunch 12.00pm

Saturday evening approx 6.30pm after competition finishes for the day, the JackPot Competition starts.

Dinner 6.00pm 

Sunday 23rd July 7.30am-4.00pm

Poets Breakfast starts at 7.00am through 9.00am.

Breakfast 6.00am

Sunday is the Gospel Section and more Talent Search.

Finals start after heats are finished!

Goodbye to the Hughenden Lions Club Welcome Patrice Borgerson

The Committee for the Hughenden Country Music Inc. Would like to make a special mention of thanksgiving and praise for all the years The Hughenden Lions Club have supported the festival.

We would also like to publicly farewell Linda Bell and her team who have done a wonderful job all these years handling the kitchen.

Unfortunately Linda and her husband have relocated to another town. Safe Journey

We are very fortunate to welcome Patrice Borgerson who is well known around Hughenden for her tasty and wonderful meals, we are very lucky she has accepted the position to privately manage the festival kitchen.

 

Hughenden Lions Club
Bush Poets Breaky

 Welcome Patrice Borgerson 

You will also be able to purchase Alcohol at reasonable prices here as the Diggers Entertainment Venue is Licensed.

Lunches Friday/Saturday/Sunday 12.00pm and Dinners start at 6.00pm approx $5-12.00 for a meal!

Sunday Hot Breakfast starts at 6.00am.

So start practicing and come and play by the Hughenden Lake to warm up a little ready for the Jackpot on Saturday Night.

Sit by the Hughenden Lake and Practice for the Festival
SATURDAY NIGHT |

The Hughenden Lions Club are still going to start the pot at $100. Each person puts in $10 entry then the winner takes ALL!

Our 2022 Winner Scooped a 
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Bush Poets Breaky
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Workshop and Poets Breakfast

The first day of the HCMFestival Friday starting at 12.30pm for introductions with the workshop starting at 1.00pm will be run by Gary Fogarty and Karen Thomsen

Sunday starting at 7.30am-9.00am Gary will run the Poets Breakfast $5.00 per person

Gary Fogarty is a Bush Poet, Compere, Announcer, Corporate Speaker and Workshop Presenter.

Gary Fogarty is one of the most active performing Bush Poets in Australia. A brilliantly glad Australian, his capacity to infuse his own particularly ‘Bush Bred’ character and humor into all that he does, and to fit his exhibitions to all circumstances have brought about his bustling timetable.

Gary’s verse has been utilized to motivate our Aussie Olympians,  Brisbane Broncos and a few corporate Boardrooms around Australia, has propelled its own Drought Relief Campaign, included in a progression of Channel 7 notices for International Rugby Union tests.

Karen Thomsen is an entertainer, recording artist and onstage mentor.  Karens philosophy is to encourage as many people as she can to BE ALL THEY CAN BE!

Karen performs at the festival as well on the Friday Night with her beautiful vocals and the Southern Comfort Band and also gives her time to the Friday workshop.  She is also a wonderful judge for the festival and gives kind and helpful comments to encourage and improve all artists.

Bush Poets Breaky

Friday Night Concert

If you order your tickets for the 3 DayPass you get into the concert on Friday night free just present your online ticket! Otherwise tickets for Friday Night Concert are only $10.00 at the door and it is the welcoming night you wont want to miss!!

We always have a few guests pop by.  Robbie and Bob Katter often share our experience with us and they are great sports getting up and having a sing!

Luke Geiger, Anthony Taylor, Chad Morgan have all played the first night of the festival.

The Southern Comfort Band then go on and perform as a band in their own right…

perform at HCMF

THE COMPETITION AND THE VENUE

The Diggers Entertainment Venue in Hughenden with air conditioned comfort is the Home of the HCMF…Last year we had some stellar acts and it looks like this year is going to be even better.

The Prizes are fantastic it is well worth the trip out to Hughenden in July to enter this long running competition!

The sections include: Female Vocal, Male Vocal, Aus/bush ballad, Country Rock, Golden Oldies, Open Duo and Gospel, in various age groups .  There is even a Novelty Section where anything but country is accepted although these are not accepted for the Finals.

The committee has announced another $12,000 in prize money will be awarded to all Finalists. Each section for juniors $300.00 will be divided into first second and third.  Adults will receive First Prize $300.00 Second Prize $125 and Third Prize $50.00

The Adult Champ will also receive an extra $2000.00 with the Junior overall winning a beautiful Cole Clark Guitar and the Juvenile winning a D’Addario guitar

Perform at HCMF

This is the wonderful Diggers Entertainment Venue in Hughenden which is a Covid-Safe Venue and Air Conditioned for your comfort.

The Stage and lighting make your presence on stage professional!

Inside there is room for 300…Air-Conditioned comfort and plenty of room to dance!

The Diggers Entertainment Venue Hughenden at Night!

HCMF A STEPPING STONE

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TO TAMWORTH AND THE WORLD

The Competition is a stepping stone for artists to become competant infront of an audience before they go on to bigger and better things.  Namely Tamworth Festival and then overseas to Nashville.  Performers that start here have ended up in Nashville 

The Adult Champ gets $2000.00 in Cash and the Junior overall winner gets the Cole Clark Guitar with the Juvenile overall gets a D’addario Guitar.

Also Donohues awards the Finalist with a beautiful leather bag…

You must enter this fabulous Competition this year for our 30th Birthday 2022

Some wonderful prizes for being in the festival

ARE YOU READY?

BOOK YOUR |

3 Day Passes are for entry into the Diggers Entertainment Venue Hughenden…This will give you the Friday Nights Concert for FREE!

You can pay at the door but entry to the concert will cost $10.00 we are limited to 300 seats!

Get In Now… Beat The Rush…Organise your accommodation and start saving for that trip here!

3 Day Pass