However, the past four days have proven that the festival remains one of the best networking and learning opportunities in the country for young circus performers. 

More than 100 people registered to attend Catapult, along with invited professional acts. 

Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC) general manager Stephen Champion said the entire event went beyond what he expected for it. 

“We thought that we would be lucky to get 100 registrations, but we ended up with 130,” he said. 

“We had to add extra workshops at the last minute, but [the festival] certainly exceeded our expectations.” 

Across the festival, young performers were able to attend workshops and forums to help advance their skills. 

These workshops covered everything from throwing, catching and tumbling to aerial work on the flying trapeze and lyra. 

Heavy rain on Thursday prevented the trapeze workshops going ahead, but the predicted rain held off on Saturday and allowed them to be run then. 

The performers came out of the different workshop experiences with more than just skill-based benefits. 

“There is always highlights with the workshops, highlights with the forums, but the real highlight is meeting other young people that do the same sort of thing,” Mr Champion said, adding that some troupes had never seen other young circus acts. “It just changes that whole concept of youth circus troupes.” 

In addition to the workshops and forums for performers, there were public shows from both the young people and professional acts. 

The performers had a gala where they showcased their talent, while professional act Gravity and Other Myths held public acrobatic shows.

On Saturday night, the Lieder Theatre Company and Circaholics Anoymous gave the public an explosive fire show in Machattie Park as the finale to the festival. 

After Sunday’s farewell brunch, Mr Champion said plans can start on the next festival in two years time. 

“We’ve got to talk to council, because I think if we are going to continue we will have to expand the public side of things, but that is certainly our expectation to return in 2020,” he said.