Music festival returns, at long last

BY ABBY WALTER

Astar-studded line-up is ready to take the stage at Lake Charlegrark Country Music Marathon this weekend.

Australian country music icon Kasey Chambers will headline the event.

“My dad, Bill Chambers, told me all about Lake Charlegrark Country Music Marathon and it’s a bonus that it’s so close to my hometown area of south-east South Australia — so I have lots of family coming over for the gig,” she said.

“We can’t wait. We missed playing gigs so much during COVID-19, of course, so it’s been great to slowly get live music back in Australia over the past year.

“I always enjoy writing and recording as well, but playing live is such a big part of who I am.

“I’ve grown up on stage and I feel like it’s one of the places that I feel most at home.”

Chambers said she loved the combination of having the festival close to her hometown and the camping aspect of the festival.

“We love camping and caravanning, so we’ll be there camping for the weekend and enjoying the other artists as well,” she said.

“It sounds like it will be a great weekend.

“I’ll be playing lots of my old songs from ‘The Captain’ and ‘Barricades and Brickwalls’ albums and also some new ones and favourite covers.”

The event begins on Friday and concludes on Sunday at Lake Charlegrark, Minimay.

Lake Charlegrark Country Music

Marathon committee member Lesley

Naylor said she expected the festival would be ‘as big as ever’.

“Our numbers were stuck around 1200 and then we had Lee Kernaghan perform and people who hadn’t been before came along, and they kept coming back — so it’s been around the 1600 people mark since,” she said.

“Everyone is looking forward to it and the lake and surrounds look beautiful. The caretakers are doing a great job keeping it green and manicured.

“The event also brings money to all the surrounding towns, which is great.

“I have been on the committee for 17 years and it’s so rewarding when people thank you and tell you how much they enjoyed it.”

Committee member Rosemary Nolan said the committee had to make difficult decisions across the past two years in light of COVID-19 restrictions.