BERMAGUI residents and business owners are gearing up for the second time in a week to welcome an influx of visitors to the town.
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The 17th Bermagui Seaside Fair will get underway on Saturday and with more than 100 stalls booked and a variety of entertainment offered, it is expected to once again draw in a big crowd.
The Seaside Fair, coupled with Sculpture on the Edge - which opened last weekend - are creating an economic boon for the town and surrounding area.
They follow on the back of a busy February for the immediate area, starting with the Cobargo Show and the Cobargo Folk Festival, then carrying through with the Bermagui Bike Show – hosted by the Bermagui CRABS – at the end of March and the Four Winds Festival over Easter.
After months of meetings, phone calls, emails and hard work, Seaside Fair publicity officer Lori Hammerton said the four-person committee is now counting the sleeps until Saturday.
“It is such a great thing for the town, with more than 10,000 people coming every year.
“After the last fair the secretary and I did a survey of businesses and accommodation around town and all say it just gets bigger every year,” Ms Hammerton said.
Inquiries at the Bermagui Visitor Information Centre increase considerably through the duration of the two events, attracting both day visitors and those who decide to stay overnight or longer.
Visitor centre volunteer Jane Van Limbeek said the information desk does a roaring trade during this time.
“It absolutely picks up in visitor numbers,” Ms Van Limbeek said.
“We often have people in who have never been here before, but are just in town for the day, who come to the centre to find out more information so they can stay at some other time.
“The events are fantastic forms of advertising for the town and the area and March is a great time of the year to hold them.”
She said all local businesses and accommodation providers experience an increase in trade.
With this higher than usual population certain services and facilities are in greater demand.
Therefore, it is recommended people arrive in town with cash already in hand as there are no credit card facilities onsite at the fair (with the exception of the charity and umbrellas auctions at noon).
Alternatively, ATMs are located in Foodworks Supermarket, Horizon Credit Union and Bermagui Country Club.