BATHURST Regional Council will rely on the city's businesses to hold associated events when music superstar Sir Elton John comes to town next year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With the countdown on for the concert in January, when thousands of visitors will descend on the city, the Western Advocate contacted council to see how far plans had advanced for the week of the performance.
Council, however, says it will be encouraging businesses to hold the events during the week.
The North Queensland city of Mackay, which hosted Sir Elton in 2017, told the Advocate earlier this year that the concert presented a unique opportunity.
Teona Cousin, the economic development and tourism manager at Mackay Regional Council, said her council's aim was to help businesses make the most of the event, ensure visitors saw the best of the city during their stay and to make sure locals, particularly those who could not or did not want to attend the concert, had a reason to enjoy the occasion.
To that end, the council held competitions for residents, put up a photo board to help get locals in the mood in the lead-up, held a business lunch and put on a street party the morning after the gig to bring visitors back into the Mackay CBD.
As well, the council created a yellow brick road and Sir Elton mural in a laneway in the city, which Ms Cousin said generated national media attention and valuable free advertising for Mackay.
READ MORE:
Bathurst mayor Graeme Hanger said council will dress the city with Sir Elton and Yellow Brick Road-themed decorations and will "meet with business owners in the coming months to discuss a range of ideas for those businesses to hold events".
Asked how council was hoping to encourage the concert-goers to stay in Bathurst for as long as possible, Cr Hanger said that council was "encouraging businesses to hold events for the community in the lead-up to the concert".
The Advocate also asked if council had been talking to other cities that had hosted Sir Elton to get tips on how to make the most of the opportunity.
"Council is working closely with the promoters of the event for ideas and suggestions," Cr Hanger said.
Only $1499 "Farewell Yellow Brick Road VIP Experience Diamond" tickets remain for the Sir Elton concert at Carrington Park on January 22, 2020.
A crowd of 15,000 will watch the music superstar go through his enormous back catalogue of hits.
READ MORE:
The Coffs Coast Advocate reported this week that Coffs Harbour - where Sir Elton will play a newly announced concert in February - is planning a week-long celebration to run on either side of the mid-week performance.
"We already have a great reputation as an events city and this will really cement this," Coffs Harbour City Council's Fiona Barden was reported as saying.
"It is such an exciting opportunity for the region and we really want to start planning now to make the most of it."
The Coffs Coast Advocate reported that Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce's Ray Smith said the concert was "a huge opportunity for us to showcase what we have to offer".