Historically competing in the ‘regular’ Festival & Events section, it was elevated to compete in Major Festivals & Events and won silver.
The Muster team were there to celebrate the new success, when a gala ceremony was held at Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Sydney on Thursday night.
The major category was topped by the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash, with Bluesfest Byron Bay taking bronze.
“To get silver in the major festivals and events category is amazing,” said Muster general manager Vicky Lowry.
“It’s our first year under that category, and it’s great at making you reflect on where you’re going and are headed, as well as reflecting on how far you have come.
“This award is a big testament to all the people who make the Muster - the staff, volunteers, Deni, and everyone that attends.
“We are really honoured to receive silver.
“It shows it’s still a really great event, and making the changes over the years to keep it running has proven successful.”
Lowry also noted the strong ties between festivals, with Ute Muster staff assisting the Mundi Mundi Bash in its inaugural year.
“It’s a great way to train and get to know other festivals,” she said.
The 2024 Deni Ute Muster perfectly blends music, family-friendly entertainment and good old-fashioned Aussie fun into one big weekend on the plains just outside Deniliquin.
The 2024 event had a blockbuster lineup headlined by US country stars Tyler Hubbard and Kip Moore, plus Australian hitmaker Amy Shark.
Also featured across two packed days were country heavyweights like John Williamson, Fanny Lumsden, Amber Lawrence, Brad Cox, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, Darlinghurst, and Play On The Plains Battle of the Bands winners Elestial.
A separate Day Stage added 14 emerging acts, and an average of 20,000 people passed through the gates each day.
In a nod to its roots, the Muster featured the iconic Blue Singlet Count, silent disco, air shows, circlework competition, wood chop and bull ride events, plus family attractions.
The Deni Ute Muster is of course not new to the NSW Tourism Awards, having won several awards in the Festivals & Events category since the event’s inception in 1999.
The awards, now in their 30th year, are the state’s longest-running tourism honours and the only pathway to the Australian Tourism Awards.
This year’s program was one of the most competitive yet, with 125 finalists across 30 categories and 78 winners recognised for excellence in visitor experiences, sustainability, and business practices.
NSW Tourism Association CEO Natalie Godward congratulated all winners and finalists, saying the awards celebrate “the passion, effort and hard work that our tourism operators put in every single day”.
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