NORTHERN Tasmania is preparing for a busy month, with many accommodation facilities and events already booked out.
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The sold-out Red Hot Summer tour that featured Daryl Braithwaite at Country Club Tasmania last night kicked off the big month of events.
The trend will continue each week and is expected to bring in tens of thousands of dollars to Northern businesses.
Food and wine extravaganza Festivale, which usually attracts about 35,000 people in its three days, will continue the big month for Northern Tasmania, taking over the City Park from February 13 to 15.
Festivale chairwoman Lou Clark said this year was already looking as though it would be one of the best yet.
‘‘There’s a really good vibe about it,’’ Ms Clark said.
‘‘I’ve had lots of good feedback about the line-up, especially our headline acts Mental as Anything and Eurogliders, and there’s a good mix of activities for everyone.’’
Ms Clark said 75 per cent of masterclasses were already booked out and there were no places left for the Cooking in the Conservatory demonstrations on the Sunday.
Music festival Party in The Paddock is on the following weekend near Burns Creek, about 20 minutes from Launceston, and is expected to attract more than 2000 people.
In the last week of the month, Launceston will be hit with a double-header, with the Launceston Cup on February 25 and the Hawthorn versus Collingwood NAB Cup Challenge the next day.
Tasmanian Turf Club chairwoman Alison Archer said up to 15,000 people were expected to ‘‘frock up’’ for the Launceston Cup.
She said there would be an emphasis on enticing young adults to this year’s cup, with the inclusion of the young members enclosure.
Oaks Day, or Ladies Day as it’s known, will be held on Sunday, February 22, before the cup.
Aurora Stadium general manager Robert Groenewegen said tickets for the Hawthorn versus Collingwood match went on sale on Thursday and his gut feeling was that ‘‘it will definitely be a sellout’’.
‘‘People have been waiting a long time for Collingwood to play here,’’ he said.
‘‘They have a lot of supporters out there and with Hawthorn having two back-to-back wins, it will be a good one.’’
Accommodation for the week of the cup and the AFL clash is also looking likely to sell out.