20,000 people flock to 2017 Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival | PHOTOS, VIDEO

Organiser Lesley Morris said she estimated around 20,000 people flocked to the tiny town on Saturday and Sunday. 

That’s four times larger than Kurri Kurri’s entire population and consistent with recent years.

“We’ve done some surveys and people are coming from throughout the state,” she said.

“We even had a couple here from China on their honeymoon. They saw the festival in a newspaper in Sydney and caught a train to Maitland and a bus to Kurri just to get here.”

Ms Morris said the town was an ideal host to the event, which celebrates the golden era of rock n’ roll – from cars to music and fashion. 

“You couldn’t have this anywhere else,” she said.

“The atmosphere of being in the middle of town, it’s accessible, there’s a beautiful park and you can just wander around and not spend a cent. Or walk into the markets and spend all you want.

“And we have a heartland of motorsport enthusiasts here [in Kurri]. It’s something our locals are into as well.”

Polkadots, pomade and pontiacs were on full display and as dance, best-dressed and car competitions kept the mood high.

Warm weather on Sunday made it hot work for the dancers in full 1950s attire, but crowds soaked it up, moving between three stages of live, rockabilly entertainment.

“It’s amazing, we get lots of people each year who dress up and wander around to look at the cars,” Ms Morris said.

“It just gets into the atmosphere, creates that retro theme.

“We get high quality cars, and this year we opened the criteria from American cars only to unrestricted.    We also focus on making sure the market stalls are high quality, retro and specific to rock n’ roll.”

Cars of Nostalgia 2017

VIDEO: The Sydney Swing Katz in action on Saturday afternoon.

VIDEO: Miss Cessnock City, Emma Myers tells us what she loves about the Nostalgia Festival.

VIDEO: The retro fashion parade at Kurri Kurri High School on Friday afternoon.