Oct 2009 - AUSTRALIAN BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL NOW A FREE EVENT The Australian Blues Music Festival held in the Southern New South Wales City of Goulburn on the second weekend each February is set to become a free-entry event. The 2010 festival, the 14th edition of the event, will be held from the 11th – 14th February, and will feature predominately free shows across a number of venues as well as the city’s main park and the local regional conservatorium. There will be a number of higher profile acts offering ticketed shows. Festival owners, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, recently took the decision to outsource the running of the event, awarding it to Goulburn-based entertainment promoters, Laing Entertainment. Principal of Laing Entertainment, Geoff Bell, said that they were excited to be working on the festival. “The festival has become a recognisable part of the city’s culture and we are looking to move the event forward.” “We have confirmed Sydney-based band The Backsliders, featuring Midnight Oil Drummer Rob Hirst, to do one of the ticketed shows and anyone who has seen those guys knows that their show is not to be missed,” Mr. Bell said.