THE Whittlesea Country Music Festival will be slashed from a three-day celebration to one day, but for the first time will be free to attend.
The festival has also cancelled its Victorian and National Country Music Awards, which organisers had hoped would one day rival the Tamworth country music awards.
The festival, which has run for 13 years, will not run its Sunday marathon concert, normally held at the Whittlesea Showgrounds and where camping availability has also been axed.
But festival vice-president David Watson said the Saturday street party and bands on a local cricket oval with fireworks would be free.
He said the festival could not afford to run a full program because many events did not break even.
The festival’s major sponsor, the Whittlesea council, approved its funding recently, otherwise the event could not have gone ahead, he said.
Mr Watson said there were no confirmed acts booked for the February 9 event.
