Tamworth Boot-Scoots its Way Through the 52nd Country Music Festival

According to the local council, each day of the festival saw nearly 30,000 people teem into Tamworth, with clubs in the area experiencing record crowds and takings across the week-and-a-half. 

Wests Entertainment Group CEO Rod Laing said the festival had lacked momentum following COVID closures and restrictions, with a decline in attendees over the two previous years. However, this year saw the festival return to “the good old days”.

“The festival as we knew it pre-COVID is now back!” Rod told ClubLIFE.

“Some of the figures that we did across bars, catering and gaming were comparable to our enormous years going right back to 2005 and 2009, which were peak years for us. 

“This year just blew them apart.” 

The 2024 Tamworth Country Music Festival spanned across the Australia Day public holiday, which contributed to the boost in visitors and subsequent record takings. The smallest of Rod’s clubs, Wests Diggers, saw a whopping 55 per cent increase in revenue, with the bigger venue, West Tamworth League Club, up 14 per cent year-on-year. 

The Wests Entertainment Group hosted a star-studded line-up at both clubs across the festival, with the likes of Thelma Plumb, Brooke McClymont, Adam Eckersley, Adam Harvey, Beccy Cole and even a Darryl Braithwaite concert which was held at the same time as the Country Music Award ceremony. 

“Years gone by, you wouldn't dare put anything up against the awards as the clubs would be fairly quiet on that last Saturday night of the festival, but these days there's that many people coming to the festival we look for big names to put on,” Rod said.

As for Rod’s highlight of the festival, he says his staff were the real stars of Tamworth. 

"What made me proud was the staff just getting in and doing their job, making guests feel as comfortable as they possibly could in those large crowds,” Rod said, adding that the conditions of 38 to 40 degrees weren’t easy to operate in.  

“The staff were obviously a standout for me, the way they handled the conditions, they just stuck to their tasks and did their organisation very proud.” 

And there is no rest for the Club team post-festival, with acts already being booked in for 2025. 

“I haven't had a period like this ever where we've just finished the festival, and an artist is trying to book in again,” Rod said. 

“That was really good feedback from artists that they're trying to hurry and get back into the spots for the following year.”