A COVID-safe mini music festival is set to rock the Far North this October.

Prior to the pandemic, the inaugural Savannah in the Round had been set to hit Far North Queensland with a huge three-day country music festival to be held in Mareeba.

Due to restrictions, the festival was forced to postpone until 2021, however, event organisers, Sound Australia, are bringing a small taster to tide over country music lovers until next year.

The Savannah Summer Series will give a small preview of the full festival while bringing the community together to celebrate the return of live music after 2020’s challenges.

Set to rock on October 1 and 2, the Queen’s Birthday weekend, hot Aussie country star Casey Barnes and Newcomers The Buckleys will be hitting Cairns and Mareeba along with SaltbushSix, The Roadtrippers, and The Ayres Rockettes.

The Savannah Summer Series will visit Cairns’ Salt House on 1 October and Mareeba’s Rodeo Grounds on 2 October.

“I can’t wait to get up to Cairns and Mareeba this October to welcome back live music to the region,” said Casey Barnes.

“Savannah in the Round is one of the most exciting things to happen for country music in Tropical North Queensland and to be part of the Summer Series to show that live music is alive and kicking post-COVID will be a big highlight after a tough year for all of us.”

Barnes kicked off the year with his hit single ‘Sparks Fly’, holding a number one spot on radio for seven weeks, followed by the first number one Australian Country ARIA album during the COVID-era, ‘Town of A Million Dreams’.

Teenage sibling trio The Buckleys are also a band on everyone’s lips with a Golden Guitar nomination for Best New Talent and a Country Radio number one spot, with their hit single ‘Daydream’.

The mini-festival will also include SaltbushSix, one of Australia’s most acclaimed backing bands, launching Keith Urban onto the global stage with his album The Range in 1997 and working with artists including Lee and Tania Kernaghan, Trisha Yearwood, Big House and the godfather of Australian country, Slim Dusty.

The event also welcomes The Roadtrippers and The Ayers Rockettes, Queensland’s best country party bands, bringing the good vibes for audiences of all ages.

“As gatherings and the regulations around social distancing are relaxed in a measured way it’s important to us and to the economy of the region that we keep the music playing”, said Sound Australia’s James Dein.

“Savannah in the Round was always conceived as an event to bring the Tropical North Queensland community together, as well as to drive interstate tourism, and it’s never been more important for us to deliver on that goal, which is why we are committed not just to our spectacular large-scale 2021 event, but also to making sure the community is not forgotten this year with the Savannah Summer Series.”

As Aussies holiday at home for the remainder of 2020, the Savannah Summer Series gives visitors not only a great country music experience, but also the perfect launching pad to explore the natural beauty of the tablelands through to the reef.