ROARING rain and wind might be the death knell for most festivals, but not for Ukitopia.

Instead of running for cover, festival-goers stomped around in the rain to celebrated Uki band Willow Beats.

"It went from being sunny and beautiful to gail-force storms," festival director Jodi 'Jo' Liddell said.

"In front of the stage turned into one big mud pit and the kids were dancing around in the rain all night. They just loved it."

The celebration of the tiny town of Uki was held last Friday to Sunday, attracting a considerable crowd, despite the indecisive weather conditions.

"On the last night big local blues band Lifeline played just as the second big storm hit the festival," Mrs Liddell said.

"They were playing Riders on the Storm by The Doors as the storm was raging so they felt like total rock gods.

"There was smiles all 'round. All I saw was teeth."

Mrs Liddell said after a tough year, with the Uki pub burning down and Wollumbin closed to tourists, it was important to rekindle the town's strong community spirit.

"The feedback I've got from the festival was that people feel proud to live in Uki," she said.

"Businesses have been doing it tough and heads were beginning to hang lower, so I wanted to try and change that.

"Ukitopia has a long legacy and I'm very proud I could be a part of it."

As well as the impressive musical entertainment, Mrs Liddell said the festival's art workshops and the Images of Uki exhibition also went "exceptionally well".

Mrs Liddell said preparations for the festival began as a solo job, but transformed into a town effort as the anticipated event drew closer.

She thanked the volunteers and townspeople who banded together to make Ukitopia Festival a stellar success.