New ‘Extend the Weekend’ campaign aims to support local businesses by encouraging longer stays and off-peak visitation
Berry, recently named a Top Tourism Town finalist for the third year in a row, has secured $200,000 in grant funding through the NSW Government’s UPTOWN Grant Program to launch ‘Extend the Weekend’, a major new destination campaign designed to encourage visitors and locals to stay longer, spread visitation across more days and reduce the village’s reliance on peak holiday periods.
The campaign will be delivered through A Day Well Spent, a four-part, multi-venue live music series running from February to June that will bring high-calibre touring acts and standout regional talent across genres including country, jazz and blues, indie, funk and soul to venues across Berry.
Precinct Coordinator Kate Dezarnaulds said the series is an exciting opportunity for Berry and a long-term investment in the village’s economic future.
“This was a grassroots effort by people who care deeply about Berry,” Ms Dezarnaulds said. “What we’re hearing from local businesses is that the patterns they relied on before COVID haven’t fully returned. Trade is much more concentrated into Saturdays, school holidays and long weekends, and with rising costs and tighter household budgets, having locals out on a Thursday night or visitors staying an extra night can make a real difference to whether a business is viable. Extend the Weekend is about responding to those pressures and supporting Berry’s businesses beyond the peak periods.”
Berry is one of the first regional communities selected for the NSW Government’s Uptown Grant Program, joining Nowra, Huskisson and Sussex Inlet. This strategic initiative is designed to transform CBDs across regional NSW into thriving hospitality and cultural destinations. The capacity-building supports sustainable, locally led destination strategies, with a focus on investing in Berry’s local creative economy through paid collaborations. The campaign also marks an evolution of Berry’s destination brand and will be promoted through partnerships with local content creators, sharing their experience with their followers of A Day Well Spent across music, hospitality and accommodation partners.
Taylor Hudson from The General Store, one of the participating venues, said the Extend the Weekend campaign reflected a proactive approach to supporting local businesses.
“There’s no denying it’s a tough environment for regional hospitality beyond the main holiday peaks, but we’re feeling positive,” said Taylor. “This live music series is about innovation and collaboration - testing new ways to share audiences, lift mid-week and shoulder-season trade, and give people more reasons to spend time in town.”
High-calibre touring acts to headline Berry’s opening weekend
The series will launch in February with a Country-themed weekend, celebrating Berry’s agricultural roots with a contemporary edge - blending classic storytelling with modern country sounds to reflect the town’s evolving cultural identity.
The weekend will be anchored by a major daytime Sunday session across multiple venues, headlined by award-winning New Zealand artist Jenny Mitchell, appearing at this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, and modern country-rock act Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City. The drawcard acts reflect a deliberate push to bring high-calibre touring talent back to Berry and attract a younger live-music audience alongside traditional country fans.
The February Sunday session will also feature local favourites The Freewheelers, Tropical Strength and Illawarra-native Grace Mae from the Tamworth Academy of Country Music, with Thursday night performances by Alex Clark, Loki Hines, Solo West and Amber Kenny, all of whom have strong connections to the region.
South Coast Live music programmer Harrison Hall from Holy Pavlova said the opening bill was designed to send a clear signal about ambition and quality.
“Securing artists of this calibre sends a clear signal that Berry is back on the national touring map,” Mr Hall said. “Just as importantly, the series is about building real connections between musicians and venues and making live music part of everyday village life again.”
The series will be held across four themed weekends:
February 19 and 22 – Country
March 19 and 22 – Jazz and Blues
May 21 and 24 – Indie
June 18 and 21 – Funk and Soul
The opening Thursday will serve as a locals-first launch of the A Day Well Spent series and Berry’s refreshed brand direction. All live music is provided to the venues for free, with bookings required at some venues. Head to the website for full details, with future themed weekends announced closer to each date.
More information at extendtheweekend.berry.org.au
Extend the Weekend in Berry is supported by the NSW Government through the Uptown Grant Program and administered by Create NSW and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. The project aligns with the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, Destination Sydney Surrounds South’s Destination Management Plan and Shoalhaven Council’s tourism objectives to support longer stays, off-peak visitation and locally-led experiences.
Distributed by Lanham Media on behalf of the Berry Chamber of Commerce
Media contacts:
Greg Townley | [email protected] | 0414 195 908
Fleur Townley | [email protected] | 0405 278 758
Available for interview:
- Kate Dezarnaulds, Uptown Precinct Coordinator and Former Head of the Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, can speak to the intent of the grant.
- Taylor Hudson, The Berry General Store, Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Committee Member and participating venue
- David Stubbs, The Berry View Motel, Berry Getaways and The Berry Hotel, Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Committee Member, can speak to opportunities and challenges for the hospitality and accommodation sector
- Harrison Hall, Holy Pavlova, can speak to the music program and pressures on live music industry
- Musicians available on request.
Media Assets / Artist Bios: here
General photos of Berry: here
