After a short hiatus due to COVID-19, thousands of country music lovers flocked to Broadbeach on the Gold Coast and were blessed with blue skies and a golden line-up of country stars in the long-awaited return of Groundwater Country Music Festival (CMF).
Over three unforgettable action-packed days, Groundwater CMF brought country back to the Gold Coast with a vengeance! With an overload of creative energy, more than 45 home-grown Aussie artists wowed festival-goers and filled the parks and streets of Broadbeach with their infectious charm and country music virtuosity.
From the perfect weather and sensational lineup to the smiles on the faces of country music lovers of all ages, Groundwater CMF was undeniably a raging success. Festival Director, Mark Duckworth, was thrilled with the outcome, particularly considering the myriad of challenges that festivals face getting off the ground in the first place.
“It was great to see Groundwater return to the Gold Coast and to be able to welcome back our country music family. For many artists, Groundwater is an opportunity to celebrate and share new music releases and chart successes from the year. Groundwater 2021 has been more important than ever for Australian country music as it’s been one of the few festivals remaining on the calendar,” he declared.
With album releases, debut singles, and newly formed duets, excitement and love permeated Broadbeach, creating a terrific atmosphere. Highlights included awe-inspiring sets from Australian country superstars, Tassie duo The Wolfe Brothers, and local legend Casey Barnes.
“We bloody love this festival! We’ve had some of our best gigs at Groundwater. I love the fact that it’s free for the punters and I love that the city invests in live music and knows it’s going to bring people.” Tom from the Wolfe Brothers proclaimed.
The whole Broadbeach precinct was abuzz with positive vibes, delighting festival-goers and local stakeholders alike. Lincoln Testa who owns Madison’s Café in The Oasis said the weekend felt like the good old pre-covid days.
“It was such a great feeling to have our staff run off their feet for the three days. We were not quite sure what to expect but believe we’ll be close to reaching 2019 numbers which is fantastic. Hopefully this is a precursor to Christmas when borders open back up,” he said.
We loved seeing so many friends new and old come along and enjoy a shared love of country music and the Gold Coast.
Thank our volunteers, crew, artists, partners and all of our loyal Groundwater fans, without you festivals like these wouldn’t happen and we are so grateful for your continued support.
We can’t wait to do it all again next year for another unforgettable three days of live music when we bring country back to the Gold Coast 28-30 October 2022.
