It’s the biggest event on Australia’s country music calendar, with thousands of lovers of the genre flocking to the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival each January. Some of the most famous Aussie country music stars, including Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley and Kasey Chambers, gather to perform at the iconic event.
But you don’t have to be a country music fan to enjoy it — it’s also a super fun time for families to visit the inland city, which is around five hours’ drive north-west of Sydney, to experience the eclectic atmosphere. Plus, there are plenty more fun things to with your family in Tamworth — read on to learn all about them!
Family fun at the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival
Several streets in the CBD are closed off for the festivities, with buskers performing and a dedicated Family Zone with carnival rides, including dodgem cars, a Ferris wheel, bungees and teacups.
Make sure you look the part by picking up new cowboy hats for the whole family at one of the market stalls! Food trucks dish up a variety of cuisines, while kids love seeing professional rodeo stars, whip cracking demonstrations and weightlifters competing.
During the festival Precision Helicopters also offers 10-minute scenic flights over the city and surrounds in a four-seater Bell 206 jetranger aircraft.
Hundreds of shows (including free outdoor concerts)
There are hundreds of shows and artists performing across dozens of venues, with a mix of traditional, Americana, blues, roots, alt-country, bluegrass, honky tonk, and more.
While the big stars perform at ticketed events at venues such as the Tamworth War Memorial Town Hall and Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre, where the Golden Guitar Awards are held, you can also catch them performing for free on one of the outdoor stages.
They include the Toyota FanZone stage in the heart of the city and the Toyota Park Stage in Bicentennial Park, where the hugely popular Toyota Star Maker talent quest takes place.
More things do while you're in Tamworth
There’s plenty of other fun things to do with kids in Tamworth while you are there. Follow the Tamworth Country Music Trail to see some of the city’s biggest attractions, including the iconic Big Golden Guitar, the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame, and the National Guitar Museum, which is home to guitars that once belonged to Keith Urban and Troy Cassar-Daley.
You can also see country music artists brought to life at The Country Music Wax Museum, and where many have cast their hands in concrete at the Country Music Hands of Fame Park. Kids will also love Tamworth Regional Playground, which has a skywalk, three giant slides, four towers, a bike track, a dual flying fox, and a waterfall with a three-metre sway bridge. It adjoins Bicentennial Park, where you can ride bikes or scooters along the extensive paths and feed the ducks in the ponds.
Get up close to kangaroos, wallabies, emus, and native birds at the free Tamworth Marsupial Park, which is also home to a community-built adventure playground. There’s also a skate park with a pump track and rock climbing wall, as well as an epic mountain bike park.
For a true country experience, head to Tamworth Kootingal Horse Riding Adventures, just 20 minutes’ drive outside of Tamworth, which offers two-hour trail rides, pony rides and tours of Swamp Oak Station.
You can also visit Barraba, around an hour’s drive north-west of Tamworth, to see the 40-metre high The Water Diviner silo art. It’s also on the doorstep to the beautiful Warrabah National Park and Horton Falls National Park, which are also worth a visit.
Where to stay during the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival
Hotels, motels and B&Bs book out early, so for the full festival experience, book a caravan or camping spot in an established holiday park, or one of many sporting fields, which are converted into makeshift camping grounds for the event – making for an affordable family holiday.
More Information
The Tamworth Country Music Festival will be held from January 17 to 26, 2025.
Main image: A crowd gathered at the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival
In partnership with Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival and Tamworth Regional Council
