Tamworth Country Music Festival 2025 in Australia

The Tamworth Country Music Festival, also known as the Toyota Country Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival held for ten days from Friday to Sunday in mid to late January each year, sometimes including Australia Day, in Tamworth, New South Wales. The festival is the second biggest country music festival in the world. It celebrates country music culture and heritage, particularly highlighting the national Australian country music scene. This non-gated event transforms the city into a lively musical hub where thousands of visitors freely explore pubs, venues, stages, and street performances.

Events at Tamworth Country Music Festival

Lineup of Artists

Tamworth Country Music Festival showcases a diverse range of music genres, including classic country, bluegrass, country rock, folk, urban country, alternative country, rockabilly, Western swing, country rock'n'roll, yodeling, rock, blues, and world music. This year, Amber Lawrence, Andrew Clermont's International Supper Club, Andrew Farriss, Andrew Swift, The Rhymer from Ryde, Lonnie Lee, The Johnny Cash Tribute Show, Jayne Denham, Taylor Moss, Brother Hollow, Lane Pittman, The Songs and Heartbreak of Tammy Wynette & George Jones, Darlinghurst, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham, and many more will be performing at the Toyota Country Music Festival.

Toyota Golden Guitar Awards (January 25, 2025)

The Golden Guitars, or the Australasian Country Music Awards, are the heart of the Toyota Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence and showcasing top Australian country music artists. The pinnacle awards event for country music honors the songs and artists that have made a significant impact over the past year. In 2025, the theme is 'All the Colours of Country,' celebrating diverse genres and identities. The awards take place on Saturday at 7:30 pm (Red Carpet from 5 pm) at Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Events Centre.

Country Music Parade (January 25, 2025)

The 2025 Tamworth Country Music Parade returns in a brand-new format, offering fans a unique chance to meet their favorite stars up close. This cavalcade-style event celebrates the best of Australian country music with a traditional street parade. Join us on Saturday, 25th January, at 9 am along Peel St, Fitzroy St, and Kable Ave, celebrating the theme of Australian Country Music.

Attractions

In addition to the music, the festival offers many other country music attractions for visitors. These include the Big Golden Guitar, Country Music Wax Museum, Hands of Fame Park, and the National Guitar Museum featuring successful country music artists. Visitors can also enjoy fine arts and crafts, street performers, and markets along Peel St, which attract large crowds. The Country Music Cavalcade on the last Saturday of the festival is a highlight, drawing large crowds to Peel Street. Many businesses and musicians participate with floats in the parade, adding to the festive atmosphere of the event.

Parties

Top tips for enjoying the festival include embarking on a pub crawl with over 120 participating venues, using the convenient Festival Express bus service for easy venue-hopping, and experiencing the AELEC for the ABCRA National Finals showcasing elite rodeo and campdraft action.

Family Zone

Offering an abundance of fun, the Family Zone is a festival within a festival! The whole family can enjoy dodgem cars, a Ferris wheel, the sound wave ride, bungees, water balls, teacups, and more! Open daily from 10 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 10 pm, weather permitting. There are a range of family-friendly concerts and activities throughout the festival, great for kids of all ages. Tamworth's biggest kids' country show, "Amber Lawrence Sings Tay Tay and More," will take place on 19 January 2025 at the Town Hall.

Venues & Stages

During the festival, over 2500 acts perform across up to 120 venues. The largest venue, the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre, accommodates up to 5100 people. Tamworth’s scenic Bicentennial Park is transformed into Toyota Park during the Toyota Country Music Festival, offering ten nights of free entertainment starting from 7 pm.

Tickets

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is not gated, so you do not need to purchase a ticket to attend. Enjoy free shows every night in the park, as well as a selection of thousands of free and ticketed shows over the ten days in pubs, clubs, and hotels around Tamworth. Ticketed events range from 20 to 45 AUD.

History of the Tamworth Country Music Festival

The exact beginning of the Tamworth Country Music Festival is debated, with some citing 1968 due to a small talent quest, while most agree on 1973 when Radio 2TM staged the first Country Music Awards. The festival, part of 2TM's strategy to create a major country music event, expanded to include numerous activities, making the Awards the climax of 10 days of festivities. By 1974, the January long weekend was recognized as a significant gathering for country music enthusiasts. Despite some date changes, the Australasian Country Music Festival has become one of the top 10 music festivals in the world, unique in Australia and globally.