There has been mixed reaction to Groovin the Moo being moved from Maitland to Newcastle over whether the new location fits the "regional" criteria for the festival tour.
Punters on social media pointed out there are "no cows on the foreshore", with Groovin the Moo traditionally taking place in areas not used to hosting major music events.
But Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said she believed the new location of Foreshore Park would appeal to the same Hunter market as always when the festival rolls into town on May 4.
"A lot of people see Maitland as part of greater Newcastle anyway," she said.
"Talking to my teenagers that are right in the market for Groovin the Moo... interestingly they said Groovin the Moo is already in Newcastle.
"So realistically this is an opportunity for the same market, just a different location and a location that is probably easier for public transport and they can actually grow their fan base by having a site the size of Camp Shortland in Foreshore Park.
"I know a lot of people in Maitland will be really excited about a change and coming to Newcastle for the weekend."
Camp Shortland previously hosted festivals and concerts including By the C in 2019, This That and Live at the Foreshore in 2016 and the former Fat as Butter. The Supercars concert has also been staged across the road in the Foreshore Park amphitheatre as recently as March 2023.
Cr Nelmes said Groovin the Moo organisers approached the council about the move, and she was hopeful of securing the event on a long-term basis.
"We've actually held concerts here quite successfully with a similar projected attendance of around 25,000 people," she said.
"It is a really big site and a site really capable of hosting those events.
"We'll go into negotiations after the first event to look at how it was run over the weekend, the benefit to the city.
"Obviously every time we host an event we make more requirements, whether it's logistics, whether it's hours of operation.
"There is always some road closures and some disruption, but it is only a one day festival."
King Street Hotel co-owner Greg Mathew said he believed the festival would provide great knock-on benefits for the local tourism and hospitality industries.
"It will consume Newcastle for the week leading up to it, the Friday, the Saturday, the Sunday," he said.
"Everything from retailers, the young kid going out buying their first festival outfit, to having a coffee the next day and rewinding what happened the night before, or also kicking on to King Street Hotel for an after party.
"It is really good for local businesses."
Local festivals This That and Scene and Heard were cancelled in 2023 in the midst of a challenging time for live music due to rising event costs, cost of living pressures and competition with major artist tours.
However Mr Mathew said Groovin the Moo had become a mainstay on the Australian festival scene, and the touring aspect meant they had the ability to secure big artists.
"Cost of living is affecting everybody and events, they get hit hard," he said.
"It's not an easy business and a lot of festivals come and go for various reasons.
"Groovin the Moo... it's been around for a while. They've got the model right and I think Newcastle will only enhance that."
