Excitement already building for a fab festival in 2025

Crowd favourites Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley and Kasey Chambers are already confirmed starters in 2025, but it's the opportunity for emerging talent to shine that makes Tamworth unique said events manager for Tamworth Regional Council, Barry Harley.

"Whether that be busking on Peel Street, or whether it's those quests and opportunities like Star Maker and the venues offering opportunities for all that free entertainment," Mr Harley said.

Tamworth is not a gated festival, and Mr Harley said that allows for the risks and the benefits to be spread across the entire community.

The 2025 festival will offer more than 1800 scheduled events, featuring more than 700 artists.

"Of those 1800 events there will be 70 per cent of them are free, and this offers the opportunity for families or individuals who you know might be suffering a little bit under that affordability to come to Tamworth and still experience a great country music experience without costing a fortune," Mr Harley said.

"But we'd like them to also support the ticketed shows because that's what makes the economy go round."

On other 'golden' news it's been announced that last year's face of the festival and winner of the 2024 Best New Talent award Max Jackson will co-host the Golden Guitar Awards with another rising star, James Johnston, on Saturday, January 25.

"I've been watching the Golden Guitars since I was a little girl growing up as a country music fan, and so to be announced as a co-host, especially with my good friend James Johnston is just a dream come true," Ms Jackson said.

"It's gonna be so fun."

John Williamson fans will also be happy to know the country music icon will be at TRECC in 2025 to celebrate his 80^th birthday and some iconic tunes.

While fans of another music genre will be able to rock along with Susie Quatro.

"She of course is known for rock'n'roll but she had a few songs way back that were more in the soft country area, so she'll be great," entertainment venues manager, Peter Ross, said.

"Duncan Toombs is coming to the Capitol for the first time for a show, Melinda Schneider, Felicity and Josh and the list goes on and on."

Tamworth's festival will celebrate 53 years in 2025. It is recognised as the largest and longest-lived country music event in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

Hundreds of thousands of people will converge on the city for 10 days in January.

The 53rd Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival will be held from Friday, 17 to Sunday, 26 January, 2025.