The wet weather on the Mid North Coast that has seen numerous sport matches called off, is expected to clear up next week according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
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But even if the rain were to return, Saltwater Freshwater Festival general manager Rick Gonsalves would still be hopeful for the rescheduled festival event.
The festival had previously been tabled to take place at Smithtown Riverside Park on Saturday, June 1, however was rescheduled to take place at the Kempsey Race Club on Saturday, July 20 due to severe wet weather.
"Hopefully [the rain] wont have an impact," Mr Gonsalves said.
"The advantage of the race club is that there's a large undercover area so we're hoping that that will make things a lot easier for us to deliver the event in the unlikely event that there are some drizzles [and rain]."
A number of events for the festival will be taking place undercover with the main stage outside where attendess can venture out to or observe from covered area.
Mr Gonsalves said that the the community has had a positive response to the rescheduling of the festival.
"A lot of people were fearful that it wouldn't happen at all," he said.
"So the fact that we've been able to reschedule it on another date relatively close [is good].
"It's the week after NAIDOC week so we think that helps to sort of keep the momentum in the community with regards to Aboriginal art and culture."
Rescheduling impacts
But the rescheduling hasn't come without it's difficulties.
The stage, marquees, partaloos and other structures had already been delivered and were being set up on Thursday, May 30- just days away from the initial date of the festival.
When the event was rescheduled, festival organisers still had to pay suppliers for the costs of the structures with the sponsor money they had been provided.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't duplicate that cost," Mr Gonsalves said.
"So that's why the race club has an advantage.
"It's not a location that we would normally choose first off...but the venue does allow us to still deliver an event with the money that we have left."
Another change has been rescheduling volunteers.
For the initial date of the festival, the event had around 45 volunteers signed up.
But after the rescheduling, that number dropped to less than half with many volunteers unable to attend due to other commitments or plans.
Fortunately, there has been a silver lining to the rescheduled event.
"The other advantage to this new venue is that because it's more compact, we can get away with fewer volunteers," Mr Gonsalves said.
"It's just easier to manage the site.
"We've been able to attract a number of more [volunteers] but you can never have too many volunteers."
Those who want to sign up to volunteer can still do with all volunteers receiving food on the day of the festival and a Saltwater Freshwater t-shirt.
Despite the disruptions, festival organisers are expecting a successful event on July 20 at the new venue.
"[It] still allows us to deliver an event for the community and for the performers and the cultural practitioners, just in a different way," Mr Gonsalves said.
Emily Walker
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
