The opening night for Newstead Live is only two days away.

Festival director, Kelly Skinner, said everything is on track for one of the biggest and best Newstead Live festivals yet.

“We are delighted with how everything is falling into place, including the quality and variety of acts appearing,” Kelly said.

“There’s something for everyone – the latest acts and some old favourites who always delight festival goers of all ages. Forty acts will perform multiple times over the four days of the festival, with plenty of opportunities for festival goers to see as many acts as they want.”

Headliners include Australian Folk Music Award winners, Austral; Sam Buckingham featuring songs from her album, Dear John; Fred Smith, described by Bruce Elder of the Sydney Morning Herald as “…the best folk/county musician working in this country”; and festival favourites Tuck Shop Ladies and Greg Champion. Other acts include Apolline, Khristian Mizzi, JoJo Smith, Dingo’s Breakfast, John Flanagan, Lucy Wise and always glamorous and highly infectious The Royal High Jinx.

Golden Guitar winner and stalwart of the long-running Coodabeen Champions radio show, Greg Champion, said Newstead Live holds a special place in the festival calendar.

“As the festival scene has kept evolving in recent years, Newstead has taken prime place on the festival landscape,” he said.

“What Newstead offers is getting rarer: a weekend of great artists doing great shows.”

Running over the long weekend of 25-28 January, Newstead Live offers six performing stages in easy walking distance around Newstead and there are always impromptu performances and jams in the streets between venues and around the pub. A wide range of food and drinks will be available from the local Newstead traders as well as a selection of food vans. There is also the Troubadour live music venue and wine bar, workshops, sessions, blackboard spots, the Live’n’Local stage, and Australia's original trad disco and pool party.

Kelly said she is always amazed when first time attendees tell her Newstead Live is the best kept secret.

“Every year people tell me they have been blown away by the quality of our festival and what a fantastic time they have had. Although we are a small town, we know how to put on a big success of a festival.”