Stone The Crows Festival, to be held for the sixth time this Easter, at the ACTA grounds in Wagga, is the only Grey Nomad event in Australia that welcomes all types of recreational vehicles and is held in the same city at the same time every year.

If you are wondering what 1000 over-fifty-somethings spend the week doing - the list could include making a stock whip or wooden toys for the grandkids, hymn singing, line-dancing, learning to hula or play the ukulele, writing and performing bush verse, shooting clay targets, playing petanque, disc bowls and ladder golf, learning I.T. skills, attending drawing, embroidery, crochet and knitting classes, being part of a choir or attending church services, or talks and seminars on health, superannuation, history, technology, travel and camping skills.

That's not to mention more than twenty concerts over seven days with some of Australia's best cabaret and theatre performers in the 1200 seat auditorium at the new ACTA conference centre.

How can those attending do all this?

Well, they can't - the festival has seven activity venues going non-stop from 10am until 4.30pm, with the only stand-alone events are the Morning Variety Show at 8.30am and the concerts every evening at 7pm, featuring special guest artists who are flown in each day.

The festival now has its own musical director, Greg Hooper, to co ordinate and arrange the evening and matinee concerts.

Greg has toured with and arranged music for just about everyone who is anyone in the Aussie music scene.

Although Stone The Crows is a “closed” event there is an open day on Easter Monday, when everyone is welcome, and day tickets are available for over-fifties on the other days.

So, if you’re past the half century in age you can still come with a day visitor pass which covers all talks and entertainment from 8am to 10pm each day.

The cost is $25 per person per day and the full week's program is on the Stone The Crows website.

While a thousand over-50s from all around the nation spend seven days being entertained and sharing knowledge and skills - talking, listening, learning, dancing, laughing and socialising, the real value of the event to Wagga and the Riverina comes in tourism dollars.

Research shows that those attending come from over 270 different postcode areas and stay an average of 16.5 days in the district while attending the seven day festival, spending in excess of $2.5 million locally in the process.

It is Stone The Crows policy to use local businesses and about twenty local businesses are directly involved in the festival.

The boost to local retail spending on food, fuel, medical supplies, tourism, alcohol etc. is obviously substantial.

“The festival is unique in so many ways,” organiser Chrissy Eustace said. 

“We have special permission to discriminate in favour of the over fifties and that means no kids or grandkids. 

“We don't have to attempt to cater for any age group but the over fifties. 

“The great advantage of this is that we can give a quality experience to our attendees and, with a collective age in excess of 50,000 years, think of all that experience and skill and knowledge.

“We can share and learn from each other all week in a spirit of relaxed camaraderie and friendship.”

“Most people ask about the entertainment, but that's only a part of what the festival is about,” Chrissy explained.

“It’s such a varied program that no one attending can possibly get involved in more than a few of the activities each day. Which means they have to come back next year with more friends.”

The festival began six years ago with 260 vehicles and the number has more than doubled in that time. 

As well as a musical director the festival also has its own Chaplain and a professional medical staff of four.

“We are happy with the numbers attending,” Chrissy said. 

“We closed entries a few months ago so we can maintain the friendly feeling and camaraderie the festival creates. 

“We want to be the friendliest festival, not the biggest.”