There was music, there was art, there were spaces to connect and the absolute magic of the lantern parade.

Saturday's 2024 Galari River Arts Festival brought community members together on the most stunningly sunny winter's day we could have asked for on Saturday.

This year's free festival connected with the Rotary Ipomoea markets, filling the lake-side Lions Park early before David Acheson offered a Wiradjuri welcome to the festival itself.

Local performers filled the stage - and the performance space named "the billabong" throughout the morning.

There was yoga, storytelling and more in the quiet space called "the pond" throughout the day, as the live music ramped up through the afternoon.

And as the sun sank below the horizon, the magic really began with music and dance, the dragon boats alight on the water.

Forbes High dancers performed on the shore to Shakti Soul Sounds as the dragon boats circled in a performance that reflected Qixi, the romantic traditional Chinese festival which fell that day.

Finally, the River Arts drums struck up, Bedgerabong Public School's wacky instruments sang, and the brolgas began their dance across Bates bridge.

The lantern parade, featuring Bogong Moths made through the day, wove through the park to the caravan stage, where Nerida Cuddy and the community choir stood ready to lead "We are Australian".

It could hardly have been more beautiful, and almost an impossible task to sum up for the festival's artistic director Rob Shannon.

In a day packed with highlights, what makes it so incredibly special for Rob is the very fact that it is the community's festival.

The volunteer committee, community groups, schools, volunteers and people who became friends of the festival on the spot are what make the day.

"The budget is good will," is one way Rob put it, and that community spirit that spreads to and through the festival.

After a five-year break since the last festival, Kristen's Dance Studio's performance teams returned to dance, Forbes North dancers and St Laurence's choir took the stage, Forbes Public School shared their Healing Dots art, and Forbes High School their puppet theatre.

Performers from Musica Arioso brought drama and music to the stage, Red Bend's Afliktion and Parkes' Spicy Mercury shared their music.

Dave Cutler and local Lexi Herden delighted the audience along with Georgia Sideris, Adam Kerezsy and Tiana Plywaski. Forbes Town Band set up on the pontoon on Lake Forbes itself to perform.

And then there's all that happens behind the scenes to bring it all together - so much of it voluntary and spanning months as well as on the day.

Local businesses lent their support providing a shed, carpet, a truck. Professionals from the region donated their time and expertise with lighting and sound.

There were opportunities to join the community choir, decorate lanterns and be part of the parade.

Balkan Roma band Lolo Lovina, who we had hoped to welcome to Forbes in 2020 before COVID-19 struck, took out the night from their caravan stage.

Festival goers also enjoyed an afternoon of music with Canowindra's Nerida Cuddy and Bathurst-based rockabilly band Felix Albert and the Gentlemanly Two.