Organisers estimated there were between 500 and 1000 people at the main festival site at any one time on Sunday, with crowds peaking in the morning for the launch of the dragon boats and again in the evening for the spectacular lantern parade.

Saturday night’s indigenous Welcome to Country was also very well attended, with several hundred people thought to be at the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre for the festival opener.

“Considering it was our first [festival] and considering none of us had ever done this before, except for Stefo [Nantsou, director] it was a really affirming achievement and it shows that we have something to make this into a really big festival every two years,” said festival convenor Merrill Findlay.

Ms Findlay said the festival had surpassed her expectations and those of the ‘cabinet’ of festival ministers who started planning the event earlier in the year.

She said the financial support was extremely pleasing, both from local businesses and from larger organisations like Northparkes Mines, Barrick Cowal, Target, Sydney Theatre Company, LightnUp, Landcare, Lachlan CMA, Mitchell Conservatorium and Annamila.

Annamila funded Sunday evening’s premiere of the Kate Kelly Song Cycle, which Ms Findlay co-created and described as a personal highlight.

“It was magical for me,” Ms Findlay said.

“Opera is not everyone’s cup of tea and [the work] featured some quite difficult music but it told the story of Kate Kelly, in the voice of Quong Lee, in a wonderful way…”

Ms Findlay said Sunday’s premiere was all recorded and also captured by a documentary maker from Bathurst, and anyone who wasn’t in Forbes would still be able to enjoy it once the production is complete.

“Anyone, anywhere in the world can now perform this piece of music and it is a memory of Forbes.”

Full story and more photos in Tuesday's Advocate.