One would be forgiven in looking back on Sir Elton John's landmark Bathurst gig as a distant memory after the extraordinary year the world has faced. But Friday marks a year to the day the British rock and roll legend took the stage in front of 20,000 adoring fans at Carrington Park for an unforgettable three-hour set. READ ALSO: 'Bathurst, this one's for you': Sir Elton John's masterful performance The memories of the momentous event haven't worn thin on devout Sir Elton fan Andy Wheeler, who said the event truly united the entire community. "It was such a fabulous event that people, to this day, are still talking about it," Mr Wheeler said. "I still get asked every couple of weeks whether I actually met Elton [I didn't], but the event showcased Bathurst's capabilities as a community capable of hosting such magnificent events." While concerts of Sir Elton's scale face an uncertain future due to COVID-19, Mr Wheeler said the performance opened another avenue for potential large-scale events in Bathurst. READ ALSO: Inland Sea of Sound 2021 to feature a diverse bill of local musicians "It's the perfect time to look ahead and consider future options for events once COVID restrictions are no longer an issue," he said. "We may never see someone of Sir Elton's magnitude in Bathurst again, but maybe there's a way to honour his visit in years to come...perhaps a Sir Elton festival akin to the Parkes Elvis Festival or the Trundle ABBA Festival." The event had a welcome impact on the local economy, with hotels booked out, pubs and restaurants packed pre-show and peak numbers on the Visit Bathurst tourism website. Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke said the concert was a spectacular start to 2020 for Bathurst and it was a coup for the city to host such a big name event. READ ALSO: Original Kelso High's 3D reconstruction to be unveiled on January 31 "We have proven that we can host big name events, so we will continue to discuss event proposals as they arise," Cr Bourke said. "The city has a reputation for delivering on major events - from the Elton John concert, the Bathurst 1000 and other car races, the annual NRL match and, of course, the Winter Festival." "It shows we have immense capabilities as an ideal events destination."
LEGEND: Sir Elton John's landmark Bathurst performance is still widely remembered 12 months on, namely by devout fan Andy Wheeler [inset].
One would be forgiven in looking back on Sir Elton John's landmark Bathurst gig as a distant memory after the extraordinary year the world has faced.
But Friday marks a year to the day the British rock and roll legend took the stage in front of 20,000 adoring fans at Carrington Park for an unforgettable three-hour set.
The memories of the momentous event haven't worn thin on devout Sir Elton fan Andy Wheeler, who said the event truly united the entire community.
"It was such a fabulous event that people, to this day, are still talking about it," Mr Wheeler said.
"I still get asked every couple of weeks whether I actually met Elton [I didn't], but the event showcased Bathurst's capabilities as a community capable of hosting such magnificent events."
While concerts of Sir Elton's scale face an uncertain future due to COVID-19, Mr Wheeler said the performance opened another avenue for potential large-scale events in Bathurst.
"It's the perfect time to look ahead and consider future options for events once COVID restrictions are no longer an issue," he said.
"We may never see someone of Sir Elton's magnitude in Bathurst again, but maybe there's a way to honour his visit in years to come...perhaps a Sir Elton festival akin to the Parkes Elvis Festival or the Trundle ABBA Festival."
Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke said the concert was a spectacular start to 2020 for Bathurst and it was a coup for the city to host such a big name event.
"We have proven that we can host big name events, so we will continue to discuss event proposals as they arise," Cr Bourke said.
"The city has a reputation for delivering on major events - from the Elton John concert, the Bathurst 1000 and other car races, the annual NRL match and, of course, the Winter Festival."
"It shows we have immense capabilities as an ideal events destination."
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![LEGEND: Sir Elton John's landmark Bathurst performance is still widely remembered 12 months on, namely by devout fan Andy Wheeler [inset].](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/xry9xtRQu9u36zRV2j5976/91de09ac-32f1-40cd-85b0-d6565fc07b14.jpg/r0_0_1714_848_w576_h298_fmax.jpg "LEGEND: Sir Elton John's landmark Bathurst performance is still widely remembered 12 months on, namely by devout fan Andy Wheeler [inset].")