Popular local festival, Ironfest will not be returning according to President of 'Ironfest inc.' Macgregor Ross.
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This comes after Lithgow City Council voted against providing financial support for the festival during its ordinary meeting on Monday, November 28.
"I'm sort of gobsmacked by this decision because I still saw Ironfest as being a part of a new future for the Lithgow economy," Mr Ross said.
"I just wonder what they thinking, if they're thinking at all. Was it a logical or an emotional decision?"
Mr Ross said that without any financial support, the festival is unable to return in the future.
"I honestly think this is it [for Ironfest]," Mr Ross said.
"Ironfest's cancellation will have an immediate impact on Lithgow's economy, but probably a more significant impact on a transitioning economy further into the future."
"We have lost a reason for people to move here; and for future creative industries to locate here; It's a sad day for Lithgow."
When Mr Ross, spoke to The Mercury earlier this month, he explained that Ironfest was dealt an almost total loss of funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"COVID came just before our 2020 event. We were four weeks out, so we'd spent almost a year's worth of money. Then we didn't have a festival. So we didn't recoup," Mr Ross said at the time.
"We lost around $80,000. And that was money we use for our core operating expenses."
Lithgow City Council issued a media release stating it is committed to continuing to collaborate with organisers to see a return of the event in the future.
General Manager, Craig Butler said that Ironfest didn't submit a request for assistance until after the period of consideration had finished. As a result, Council had already allocated funds for the 2022/23 budget.
"This Council sees the value of events, and we work closely with proponents, but we quite reasonably expect requests for funding to have real clarity about where the money, which is public money, will be used. On this occasion, we did not receive that confidence," Mr Butler said.
"We will continue to endeavour to assist the Ironfest committee to host a successful event in the future. I am confident that, working together, we can see a return of Ironfest."
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
