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The streets of Grenfell were alive with larrikins, legends and thousands of visitors over the June long weekend as the Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts saw one of its biggest and most successful celebrations yet.
Festival President Belinda Power described the weekend as an outstanding success, with favourable weather, packed events and strong community support helping create a memorable festival experience.
"I think it went off exceptionally well," Belinda said.
"The weather cleared up for us, the crowds were big and all the events we had on were packed out."
Attendance figures suggest there was between 8,000 and 10,000 people who took part across the weekend, with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 visitors attending on Saturday and more than 3,000 on Sunday, in addition to crowds at the Caragabal Camp-Oven Cook Off.
This year's theme, Larrikins and Legends, was reflected throughout the festival.
"The streets were full of larrikins on Saturday and Sunday, and the festival was legendary, Belinda said.
The festival was officially opened on Saturday with guests including Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke who described the event as an important fixture on the region's calendar.
Having attended almost every festival since being elected in 2017, Ms Cooke said the theme captured the spirit of country communities.
"It speaks to the heart of what it means to live in a small town and celebrates our rural community," she said.
During the opening ceremony, Belinda reflected on the enduring influence of Henry Lawson and the importance of nurturing creativity in regional Australia.
"Henry Lawson's writing tells us what we were, where we came from and what shaped rural Australia," she said.
"This festival is where creativity is celebrated and talent is encouraged. Australia's greatest stories are still being written today - they can be found on farms, in schools, community groups and on sporting fields."
Among Belinda's personal highlights were the festival parade, the art and photography exhibitions, bush poetry events including the Poets' Breakfast, and the many literary competitions that continue Lawson's storytelling legacy.
The popular car and bike show on Sunday also attracted large crowds, with organisers reporting 62 motorcycle registrations over 20 categories and a strong field of classic and vintage vehicles.
"The street was full. It was bigger and better than last year."
Now in her fifth year as festival president, Belinda said the event continues to grow each year and acknowledged the efforts of volunteers, organisers and the wider community.
Exhausted but pleased with the outcome after the busy weekend, she also noted the positive impact the festival had on local businesses.
"I think all the businesses in town did well as well. Everyone's got to be happy," she said.
Attention is already turning to next year's festival, which will mark a significant milestone.
The 70th anniversary of the Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival.
"We hope to make it bigger and better yet again," Belinda added.