Ross Wilson revealed at Aireys Inlet Open Mic

THE 13th Aireys Inlet Open Mic Festival welcomed legendary entertainer Ross Wilson as its 2020 special mystery guest on Sunday, drawing what was a great weekend of music to a rememberable close.

Playing hits from his Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock days, Wilson rounded out the three-day event with a lively performance that saw the crowd dance and sing along.

Festival director Marty Maher said the weekend was well attended by both performers and guests, but numbers were down from last year following the state government’s directive to cancel large gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Out of the 153 scheduled performances, we had about 20 acts cancel.”

“The crowd numbers were healthy but were probably about 25 per cent down on last year. This was in line with expectations.

“Overall, it was a great festival with some incredibly talented acts on display.

“We would like to thank the musicians that come to play and all the volunteers who give their time to assist on hosting the event.

“The event is very important to the town both culturally and economically, and we are already planning the 14th festival next year.”