Full house at Beer and Music Festival

It was a full house in more ways than one, as 600 guests attended Tenterfield’s Beer and Music Festival at Memorial Hall last Saturday.
An estimated 80 per cent of the crowd was visitors to the town, organisers say.  They came from as far as Mackay, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, notwithstanding those who travelled furthest, the 30-piece German brass band from the Bavarian region of Ottobueren.
A sell-out concert at the School of Arts on Thursday was also attended by a busload of National Servicemen from Stanthorpe.
Rounding off a successful week of cultural activities was the Schubert Mass, played by the band at the Catholic Church on Sunday. This was celebrated by former Tenterfield priest Fr Gerard Hayes.
An extra special touch was Fr Gerard saying the mass in both German and English. He was reported to have received a standing ovation. Having visited Germany as part of the town partnership program in 2008 the priest was warmly received by friends from the congregation.
Forging international friendships is what the town partnership venture is all about. Many members of the band were return visitors to the town. There were also reunions with locals who had visited German families as part of the exchange program. The latest being 21-year-old musician Cameron Bolton who, we were told, played two concerts in Germany during his stay, both of which were sold out.