The Great Southern Blues & Rockabilly Festival is one of New South Wales' favourite music festivals, and its growth over its first 14 years has been significant. Today, Festival Director Neil Mumme from Instep Management Group announced an exciting new chapter in the event's history.

Leading Australian promoter Michael Chugg and the team at Chugg Entertainment will come on board as partners in 2010, working with Neil Mumme to ensure the continued growth of this great event including movement to a new site, which will bring great potential for the expansion of the festival.

For the past 12 months, Neil and his team have been reviewing every aspect of the festival and exploring the best way forward for the event. Chugg Entertainment became a clear choice as a business partner due to their many years of touring international artists, and experience in producing some of Australia's greatest music festivals and special events.

Chugg Entertainment will work closely with Neil Mumme and the team of people who have worked tirelessly to build the festival, to ensure its ongoing viability and most of all, to ensure that this festival continues to meet, and exceed the expectations of it's many loyal fans.

The event will continue to be held on the October Labour Day weekend but will have a new home in Bateman's Bay from 2010.

Neil Mumme commented, "It has been a very tough decision to move to a new site. Whilst we have always valued the ongoing support of the Narooma community, after 14 years we had to make a commercial decision to secure the future of the event. We are thrilled to have Chuggi and his team onboard and their commitment to throw their weight behind the festival to take it to the next level.

"We have outgrown Narooma due to lack of accommodation and with the ever increasing number of patrons looking to attend the festival the decision to move to an area with more facilities is necessary. We want to keep it in the Eurobodalla, and therefore Batemans Bay was the natural solution," said Mumme.

Executive Chairman of Chugg Entertainment, Michael Chugg, said, "Neil has created a fantastic festival and we are thrilled to be working with him and his team to continue to build on the foundations of the event, and continue to give the audience a great experience, that will always be our first priority. I am also excited to be working with the local Batemans Bay community to ensure great outcomes for the region."

Mr Mumme added, "I'd like to thank everyone in Narooma who has supported the event for so many years, and whilst I am sad to see it leave it's current home, I'm truly excited about the future of the festival. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements next year!"

Further announcements regarding the 2010 Great Southern Blues and Rockabilly Festival will be made in early 2010.

Best wishes
Neil Mumme - Producer GSB&RF