Tasmania's Wooden Boat Festival free next year

Entry to the Australian Wooden Festival on Hobart's waterfront in February will be free for the first time.

The State Government has given an additional $300,000 to the festival to make it free for the public and allow the perimeter fences which have surrounded to come down.

Premier David Bartlett says getting the fences down was an important part of getting more people involved and spreading the economic benefits of the festival.

"I was keen to see the fences come down around the festival - while I understand why they were there in the past, to be able to create a revenue stream - they were hindering the great opportunities for business and for the whole community to be able to participate in this event," he said."

Jessica Watson, who this became the youngest person to sail solo round the world, will be a special guest next year's festival.

It is the ninth time the festival has been held and it will run from February 11th to 14th next year.

Festival chairman Steve Knight says Jessica will be an ambassador for the event.

"We're absolutely thrilled to have Jessica here," he said.

"I'm just full of admiration for what she managed to achieved and I just think she'll be a wonderful, wonderful ambassador for the festival.

"She'll be taking part in working with children, some of the children's activities, and some of the formal functions as well."

ABC News

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