Festival fans score first Toyota hats on day one of Tamworth Country Music Festival

The husband and wife from Newcastle were in line early to get their hands on the festival staple as the first day kicked off.

The couple make the trip to the country musical capital every year, with Fabio attending 19 festivals in a row before COVID-19 shut down the January event.

"It's all about the atmosphere, we just love it," he said.

"We're going to come every year now."

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Each year they pack up their camper and head for the City of Lights Caravan Park in South Tamworth.

Mrs Paoletti said they make the festival into a holiday, arriving five days before the festivities kick off.

"We love it out here," she said.

"We take our caravan out, we've been to Manilla, Quirindi and Nundle."

They enjoyed the cooler weather last year when the festival was postponed to April, but they were happy to see it return to the January timeslot.

The couple are planning on splitting their time between paid shows and soaking up the sounds of the buskers during the next 10 days.

Mr and Mrs Paoletti might have been first in line to pick up their Toyota straw hat but they weren't alone.

Festival fans were lined up ready for the shop, in Fitzroy Plaza, to open at 10am.

The hats will be sold each day of the festival at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm with donations going towards Lifeline.

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