Deni Ute Muster

Despite being one of the coolest cars to hit American streets, the Chevrolet El Camino didn’t quite take off in terms of popularity. By contrast, coupe utility vehicles became common Down Under—common enough to earn an affectionate nickname, as well as an annual festival that celebrates the usefulness and versatility of Australia’s beloved “utes.”

The Deni Ute Muster is the largest event of its kind in the world. It began as a celebration of all things Australian—including the Aussie icon that is the ute—and has developed into a two-day festival featuring live music concerts, ute driving competitions, a show-and-shine arena, and a bull ride.

In its first year, the event held the largest parade of legally registered utes in the world wherein 2,839 drivers took part, establishing Deniliquin as the ute capital of the world. Since that time, the event has grown in popularity and each year breaks the previously established world record. As of 2010, the record stands at 8,152 utes, with over 25,000 attendees in a town that normally has a population of about 8000. In 2013, a new ute record of 9,736 was set.

The Deni Ute Muster also holds a record count for the most number of people wearing blue singlets; in 2013, new blue singlet record of 3,924 was set.