Excitement was in the air in as the launch of a world-class music and arts festival was celebrated by the Sapphire Coast community.
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On Tuesday May 31, a large group of Bega Valley representatives were invited to a VIP event at the Merimbula Wharf to celebrate the launch of the Wanderer Festival.
Wanderer Festival producer and programmer Simon Daly said he and his team were "so happy to finally say out loud that Wanderer is happening".
"It's been a long time coming and now it's coming along quickly," Mr Daly said.
The large scale event is set to attract thousands to the Bega Valley Shire for the weekend of September 23-25 for a three day festival filled with music, art and culture.
Headline acts already announced include Ziggy Alberts, DMA's, the Dandy Warhols, Sarah Blasko and Curtis Harding.
Mr Daly said the festival will be an "all encompassing festival, from the music to the artistry and audience."
The festival had been inspired by the "sense of real community in the Bega Valley" Mr Daly said, adding that the event would "not just be a festival for family and kids but for people from all walks of life".
Mr Daly said his goal with Wanderer was to create a smaller and more "intimate" event than The Falls or Lost Lands which tended to amass 20-30,000 festival-goers - and of which he was also the instigator.
Mr Daly estimated the festival venue near Merimbula on the Far South Coast would hold a capacity of 16,000 people, with allotted camping spaces to cater for 10,000 "wanderers" - as he liked to call them.
"The opportunities and drive of the state's visitor economy are going to be really significant," he said.
Wanderer Festival arts director Ian Pidd said the festival was being created with a very community focused mindset, with the goal of it being something "created by the locals for the locals".
"We want people to think that this couldn't have happened anywhere else and that it belongs to the South Coast," he said.
Mr Pidd said he and the Wanderer team were very excited about the musical talents coming on board for the festival.
"It's quite an exciting mix of international artists, national artists and very importantly locals, lots and lots of locals."
Mr Daly also acknowledged local figures who he said had been "instrumental in making it all happen" which included Bega Valley Shire mayor Russell Fitzpatrick and Andrew Gray from South East Arts, among many others.
"I'd really love to thank all the community and stakeholders who have made this all possible," he said.
Pre-sale tickets go on sale June 3, 9am - available from www.wanderer.com.au.
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