Rain on Friday threatened to derail events scheduled for Victoria Park, but fine weather and and hard work on Saturday ensured everything went ahead as scheduled.

The 10-day festival of everything entertainment, arts and music culminated on Sunday with Zoocoustic at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, and chair of the organising committee Anne Field said the entire event had showcased Dubbo at its best.

“We’ve had amazing support. There was over 1000 people in the lantern parade on Saturday night, and they walked into a park packed with people taking in the markets and other events,” she said.

“We have amazing sponsors, obviously led by Macquarie Credit Union and Dubbo Regional Council, and this year we had a grant from Destination NSW which allowed us to put more things on.

“You don’t have to be in to the arts to enjoy the festival, and we go out of our way to make it accessible by having the events free or priced minimally so everyone can be involved.

“It’s a great time of year in Dubbo with the climate, and after the rain council’s grounds staff were great in helping clear things up a bit so we could still get things on.

“That shows a real sense of community spirit, which aside from the actual events, is also part of what we want to showcase.”

In a nice twist, 2015’s DREAM Artist of the Year Phil Stack returned and played on Saturday night with his band House Of Orange, as well as on Sunday at Zoocoustic.

“We trialled Zoocoustic last year, and this year I think we have double the crowd and people still streaming in,” Ms Field said.

“To have Phil back here and part of the festival is also big for us. He’s a local boy who has done very well, he’s a former artist of the year and he is supporting our event.”