Ulverstone has been temporarily renamed “UlversTones&I” ahead of the Tones and I concert this weekend which is expected to draw thousands to Tasmania’s Central Coast.
Central Coast mayor Cheryl Fuller, councillor Kate Wylie and local campaigner Jyron Flannery declared the tongue-in-cheek name change and were joined by a town crier to mark the occasion.
The concert this Saturday grew out of a grassroots campaign led by Flannery, whose Tones & I Come to Ulverstone Tasmania Facebook page rallied strong community support and helped bring the performance to the region.
The Australian singer will perform at the Ulverstone Sound Shell on Saturday, with a huge tent being erected which can fit 7,000 people.
Fuller said she believed the renaming would make Ulverstone unique on the artist’s touring history.
“I would say that Tones and I has never played in a town that renamed itself for her,” she told Pulse.
She said ticket sales on the night have been confirmed for anyone who hasn’t already booked.
“This really started with the community,” Fuller said.
“To see that support turn into a performance here in Ulverstone is something worth recognising and having a bit of fun with along the way.”
The buzz around town has been building, with the large tent drawing attention from locals across the area.
Fuller said the flow-on effect for local businesses had already been considerable, with the production team praising to her how quickly local businesses responded.
Flannery’s role in making the event happen impressed Fuller who said he was a “humble, humble young man” with the tenacity to see the campaign through.
“I’ve only got one wish for Saturday night, and that is that Tones and I gets him up on stage and allows all of those present to give him a round of applause,” she said.
Wylie said the renaming was a simple way to welcome visitors and capture the energy behind the event.
“It’s a great reflection of the energy behind this event and a chance for the whole town to get involved,” Wylie said.
Flannery said the response had exceeded expectations.
“It started as an idea, but the support just kept building. It’s been amazing to see how many people got behind it,” he said.
Fuller encouraged everyone heading to the event to take care and be considerate of others.
