Every year the Henry Lawson Festival Committee welcomes a special guest to join in the festivities. Over the years the festival has seen numerous influential and famous special guests.
| Year | Official Guest |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Inga Simpson – Author |
| 2018 | Alison Bell – Theatre and Television |
| 2017 | Tara Moss – Author, Journalist, TV Documentary Presenter |
| 2016 | Vanessa Grimm – News Presenter |
| 2015 | Roy Billing – Actor & Writer |
| 2014 | Mark Grentell – Director/Writer/Producer |
| 2013 | Chris Coleman – Broadcaster |
| 2012 | Dick Smith – Entrepreneur |
| 2011 | Gregory Bryan – Historian |
| 2010 | Juliettre Palmer-Frederick – Author |
| 2009 | Max Cullen – Actor |
| 2008 | Sandy Fussell – Author |
| 2007 | Hon Ian Armstrong OBE – National Party |
| 2006 | David Foster OAM – Wood Chopper |
| 2005 | Don McAlpine – Cinematographer |
| 2004 | Her Exec. Prof Marie Bashir AC – NSW Governor |
| 2003 | Alan Jones AO – Broadcaster |
| 2002 | Jan O’Neill (Lehane) – Tennis Star |
| 2001 | Colin Buchanan – Country Singer |
| 2000 | Peter Bensley – Actor |
| 1999 | Judy Nunn – Actor |
| 1998 | Paula Duncan AM – Actor |
| 1997 | Garry McDonald AO – Actor |
| 1996 | Dr Hilarie Lindsay OAM – Author |
| 1995 | Carol Willis – Camp Quality |
| 1994 | Geoff Lawson OAM – Cricketer |
| 1993 | Alan Moir – Cartoonist |
| 1992 | Leon Becker AM – Broadcaster |
| 1991 | Mike Hayes – Journalist |
| 1990 | Briget Goodwin – Film Maker |
| 1989 | Eric Rolls AM – Author |
| 1988 | Slim Dusty – Country Music Singer |
| 1987 | Di Morrissey – Author |
| 1986 | Thomas Keneally AO – Author |
| 1985 | Peter Lawson – Artist |
| 1984 | James Dibble AM – ABC News Reader |
| 1983 | Jennifer Murphy – Actor |
| 1982 | Peter Summer – Actor |
| 1981 | Malcolm Thompson – Actor |
| 1980 | Leonard Teale – Actor |
| 1979 | Steve Liebmann – Television Presenter |
| 1978 | Lorraine Bayly – Actor |
| 1977 | Clive Evatt QC – Labor Party |
| 1976 | Ted Roberts – Author |
| 1975 | John St Vincent Welch – Past Festival President |
| 1974 | Patrick White – Author |
| 1973 | Dr Hilarie Lindsay OAM – Author |
| 1972 | Hon George Freudenstein MLA – NSW Country Party |
| 1971 | Harold Goodwin – Founder of the Henry Lawson Festival |
| 1970 | Chuck Faulkner – Actor |
| 1969 | Leonard Teale – Actor |
| 1968 | Bill Peach – Television Personality |
| 1967 | Bertha Jago (Lawson) – Daughter of Henry Lawson |
| 1966 | Michael Sawtell – Author |
| 1965 | Neil Hutchison – ABC Television |
| 1964 | John Thompson – ABC Broadcaster |
| 1963 | Ald Harold Jensen – Lord Mayor of Sydney |
| 1962 | Eric Baume – Journalist |
| 1961 | Sir Eric Woodward KCVO – NSW Governor |
| 1960 | Olav Nordland – Norwegian Consul |
| 1959 | Hon Ray S Maher MLA – Labor NSW |
| 1958 | Prof Colin Roderick CBE – Author |
