'Mayworth' kicks off, with Australian Country Dance Festival set to be big boost for Tamworth

Event organiser Chris Watson said between 300 or 400 dancers would attend the major event in its 19^th year, down from an ordinary 1000.

But the event will still be a major boost for the city, he said.

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"It's the largest line dance festival and competition in the southern hemisphere," he said.

"98 per cent of people this weekend that are attending are from out of Tamworth which is really great for the tourism industry.

"With it being in the CBD this year, because we normally do it in a different venue, we're going to stop for a lunch break every day and encourage people to go out and support local businesses for lunch, get out there and really support local cafes and locally owned shops and spend some money within the Tamworth economy as well."

The festival is Australia's only qualifying event for the international championships and many travellers are aiming for the stars.

Tamworth local Madison Boyd is just 12 "turning 13" but she's already a veteran of several Tamworth competitions.

She's hoping to be able to make it all the way to the world championships for the first time this year.

She had two tips for aspiring line dancers

"Make sure you're settled with yourself. If you stuff up make sure you don't look like it," she said.

Sydney visitor Kristen Flood said the best part about the dance competition is the culture of the style.

"The community, everyone is friends, it doesn't matter if you're from a different team everyone bands together and everyone cheers for the other teams," she said.

Mr Watson said the festival suggests the city's events tourism sector is gradually returning to normal.

"This is the first major line dance event back in Australia, and I think one of the first major tourism events back on the Tamworth calendar which is great," he said.

"Hopefully it's the start of a return to normal. Rather than having to Zoom into these line dance events and Zoom into the conferences and tourism events, the excitement around reconnecting with people both for a fitness level and mental health this weekend is great."

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Mr Watson said the major event would bring in people from all over Australia, but numbers had been limited because the Tamworth Town Hall can only accommodate a few hundred people.

There are no competitors from overseas and far fewer from WA and Tasmania, he said.

Mayworth, which holds its first events on Thursday night and runs until Sunday, is open to spectators, and Mr Watson encouraged residents to front up and watch the competition.

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