Tamworth Country Music Festival

Australia’s largest and longest running music festival, Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival returns for its 54th year with an epic 10-day program of fun-filled events, from January 16-25.

Building on its long legacy, this festival will highlight Tamworth as the ‘Home of Country Music’, a place where Australian artists have been discovered, nurtured and celebrated for more than 54 years. With so many fabulous events and performances happening across Tamworth's venues, here are ten highlights that you won't want to miss:

Orchestral Country - First staged in 2024, the popular event, featuring some of Australia’s most loved country artists and their songs will return for a one-night-only special performance only at TRECC. Performed with a 38-piece orchestra and led by Australian conductor George Ellis, artists for this must-see encore concert include Troy Cassar-Daley, Travis Collins, Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunnngham, Amber Lawrence, Luke O’Shea, Lyn Bowtell, Catherine Britt, Darren Coggan, Tania Kernaghan & Jason Owen.

Toyota Fanzone - The iconic stage returns in 2026, offering festival-goers the opportunity to see their favourite country music artists for free and discover new muiscial talent too. With a jam-packed line-up of more than 200 artists across the 10-day festival, here you'll find some of the biggest names in country music playing alongside some of the finest emerging talent.

Toyota Country Music Busking Championships -  One of the most anticipated parts of the festival will see up to 400 buskers performing on Tamworth’s “Boulevard of Dreams” in Peel Street. It was here that some of the country's biggest stars, including Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole, Kasey Chambers and Keith Urban once performed. While some buskers are hoping to follow in their footsteps, others are just here for the fun and excitment of being part of the festival! 10 outstanding buskers, as chosen by a secret judging panel will have the chance to perform on the closing night of the festival, in the Best of the Buskers Championships!

Toyota Golden Guitar Awards - The Golden Guitar Awards is the night of nights for both country music fans and artists. Presented by Tamworth Regional Council, the Awards showcase the cream of Australian country music artists, and the songs that have left their mark on the fans throughout the past 12 months.

Toyota Star Maker - Australia's most renowbed country music competition, which boasts a suite of alumni including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Travis Collins, James Blundell, Beccy Cole, Lyn Bowtell, Kaylee Bell and Blake O’Connor, invites aspiring country music artists to compete for a range of opportunities that will provide a substantial career boost for the winner. Far more than just a talent quest, Toyota Star Maker is a search for an individual (aged 18 yrs +) who has what it takes to avail themselves of the incredible opportunities on offer. Entries are open until September 1 and the winner will be crowned at the Grand Final Concert during the festival.

Toyota Park - Set within Tamworth's beautful Bicentennial Park, Toyota Park is the go-to for FREE entertainment every evening from 7pm. For ten nights, a fantastic line-up of artists will perform on the outdoor stage while audience members can pull up a camping chair or picnic rug and settle in for a night of fun and enjoyment.

The Wiggles Tree of Wisdom Big Show Spectacular! - A highlight for the whole family, the high energy extravaganza will have everyone up on their feet and dancing and singing along to the timeless hits of the beloved group. As well as longtime favourites like Rock-A-Bye Your Bear, Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy and Hot Potato, expect to hear new hits like Big Red Ute, Bin Night and more. Plus you'll be treated to a  dazzling array of surprises including  bubbles, lights and DJ Dorothy dance parties!

New Listening Room and Blue Room - Inspired by the iconic listening rooms of Nashville, The Bluebird Room and The Listening Room, are dedicated to showcasing a line-up of Australia’s finest emerging and established country artists in intimate, up-close settings. Music lovers can expect raw, acoustic performances and storytelling at its most personal and a chance to discover the next wave of country stars and hear their favourites like never before. 

The Blue Room line-up will include Dear Tommie, Melody Moko, Colin Buchanan, Jayne Denham, Brendon Walmsley, Billie-Jo Porter, Kirsty-Lee Akers and Rhinestoned, Jodi Martin, Karl S. Williams & Sally Wiggins, Colin Lillie, Gretta Ziller and Megan Cooper

The Listening Room, a new addition to the Tamworth Community Event Centre, which is set to debut in 2026, will feature Vincent & Vincent, The Brendans, Felicity Dowd, Gavin Chatelier and Stories In Song.

Fan Favourites - More than 700 artists attend the Tamworth Country Music Festival, including loved Aussie fan-favourites such as  Troy Cassar-Daley, Lee Kernaghan, John Williamson, Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole, Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham, Amber Lawrence, Luke OShea, Lyn Bowtell, Catherine Britt, Darren Coggan, Tania Kernaghan & Jason Owen, Kasey Chambers and  Andrew Swift. Check the program for venues and times.

RocKwiz  Salutes Country - for the first time, the popular Australian television live music trivia quiz show, which is famous for its focus on rock music, is going country! The show is hosted by Julia Zemiro and Brian Nankervis and will be staged live on Tuesday 20 January at 7:30pm at TRECC. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a country music festival without action packed entertainment and competitions at Tamworth’s world-class Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC). Australia’s number one National Finals Rodeo will be held in the AELEC Arena from 22-24 January, expecting to attract more than 3,000 competitors and 10,000 spectators.

Need to know - The first line up of ticketed shows and the Toyota 54th Golden Guitar Awards are now on sale with hundreds more free and ticketed shows and venue line-ups to be announced in the coming months. Stay up-to-date on the Toyota 54th Tamworth Country Music Festival at tcmf.com.au, TCMF Facebook and TCMF Instagram.

Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com