Laycie can't wait for her first Abba festival in Trundle

The popular annual music festival attracts thousands of people to Trundle in the NSW central west, but was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 and last year because of flooding.

A Covid baby, Laycie's early years were lived under the shadow of the pandemic which coincided with mum Charlica's successful attempt to establish an electrical business in the town.

When Laycie was born in October 2020, Ms Schnitger was only allowed two visitors.

"I had to show Laycie to the rest of the family from behind the plate glass," she said.

The popular electrician is planning to get in the disco spirit for what the locals of Trundle just call "ABBA", an event which, like the neighbouring Parkes Elvis Festival, has a big "cos-play" element with fans donning spandex and sequins and wigs to celebrate the 1970s Swedish pop supergroup of Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid.

While little Laycie is too young to tell us whether or not she prefers Mamma Mia to Waterloo, she and her mum and dad will be kicking up their platform heels on the weekend of October 14.

The festival, which kicks off this year with "pink night" at the Trundle community and services club, including community markets and free entertainment, and sees the town's main street - the widest in NSW - closed off for the festivities.

The musical line-up for the main ticketed concert held at Berryman Park includes long-running ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again, Blues Brothers Rebooted, Disco Revolution as well as local trios Wild Things Run and Amitie.

Tristan MacManus, co-host of TV's Studio 10 and professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars, will MC the main stage.

A highlight will be the arrival on Saturday morning of the ABBA train packed with hundreds of colourfully costumed fans.

Two other locals looking forward to their first ABBA Festival are Kate and Mick Procopis, the owners of Trundle's historic pub.

The couple only bought the business last July and worked around the clock to get it open for the ABBA Festival last October.

They were gutted when the event was cancelled at the last minute due to the flooding that struck the region.

Looking back they now realise that to take on a tourist drawcard like the ABBA celebration just weeks after opening would have been a very big ask given the Trundle pub is their first foray into hotel ownership.

"We've had a huge learning curve," Ms Procopis, who has been working seven days a week for the past year, said.

"We couldn't have done it on our own. Fortunately there are a lot of people with a lot of knowledge [including two former publicans who are regulars]."

Community support played a big part in bringing in the stage the pub will use to host live music on Friday and Saturday night and on Sunday afternoon during the festival.

Formerly the stage for neighbouring Tullamore's now defunct Irish festival, the structure is built around a converted shipping container.

According to Mr Procopis: "CJ, Donald, Bully, Nipper and Rebecca and Sharon all pitched in to get it on CJ's truck. They towed it down the main street to the front of the pub and then Paula [from the neighbouring agricultural supply store] drove her forklift across the road to put it into position. You just wouldn't get that anywhere else".

Others who are pitching in to add some colour and spectacle include staff from businesses in Forbes Street, Trundle's main street, where quaint and quirky window displays are popping up.

Tamilla Bolam and Nicole Stevenson have decked out the front window of the real estate and insurance agency especially for the weekend.

"I'm looking forward to dressing up, the vibe and all the extra people ABBA brings to Trundle," Ms Stevenson said.

Ms Bolam, a self-confessed dancing queen, said she can't wait for the music to begin.

With more than 1600 tickets already sold, organisers are hoping for a turnout of up to 3000 people.

With a lot of pent up enthusiasm for an event which has been in abeyance for three years Trundle is planning a weekend to remember.