LIFELINE Central West's popular Soar, Ride and Shine event won't go ahead this year due to the long-running drought and the city's increasingly crowded diary of events.
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It might return in years to come, according to Lifeline Central West executive director Alex Ferguson, but "at this point in time, we don't have the capacity to do it".
The fundraiser, which doubles as an opportunity to talk to adult and young men about mental health, was held for the first time in 2016, featuring aircraft, cars and motorcycles.
It drew a crowd of about 8000 to the Bathurst Airport and raised more than $35,000 for the charity.
It was held for the second time in 2018, over two days this time instead of one, but the conditions did not prove as favourable, Mr Ferguson said.
"The weather did not help us," he said. "It was the onset of drought. We had dust, we had a breeze."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Soar, Ride and Shine was due to run again this year, Mr Ferguson said, but it won't be going ahead for a number of reasons.
"It's true that the drought has had an impact," he said. "Static wages has had an impact - families' discretionary expenditure is down.
"And the third point is that Bathurst is a very crowded diary for events.
"You only have to look at the 20,000 people at [the] Elton John [concert at Carrington Park], the 12 Hour last weekend, the international BMX is coming.
"Then on top of that, rugby union and league is starting. There is just a heck of a lot on in town.
"Unless you can bring people from out of town en masse, it's very difficult to have a regional town or city-centric exercise.
"It takes a significant amount of work to put these things on and there's a significant risk in terms of weather and attendance."
Mr Ferguson said Lifeline Central West was also "flat out at the moment with helping communities work through the fires and drought" after a summer of heatwaves and natural disaster.
He said it was a pity Soar, Ride and Shine would not be running again this year.
"It added a different dimension to the offerings around town," he said. "But in years to come, who knows?"
