The inaugural Gippsland Country Music Festival looks set to sell-out well in advance of the event. Organisers have been overwhelmed by the support by country music fans, with pre-sale allocation, as well as first and second release tickets all selling out. Third and final release tickets are now on sale, and organisers anticipate these will be sold out within the next few weeks, almost two months ahead of the scheduled event.
Co-organiser Aidan McLaren says the team behind the Gippsland Country Music Festival is so thankful to music fans for embracing the event. “The excitement, support and enthusiasm from people for this event has been quite overwhelming,” he says. “From the music-lovers attending, to the artists, to the local farmers, the managers and the agents, to the production teams and media, everyone has been amazing. For a first-year event, to sell out is really rare, and we couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who has got behind it. It’s been an incredibly challenging 18-months for the events and music industry, and to have people show support like this is something really special.”
Gippsland is no stranger to supporting live music. The region has an affinity for supporting performers who tour the area. Growing up in Gippsland, Aidan and his co-organiser, brother Rhett, felt that the area needed a dedicated festival to call its own. “We definitely believed that our region was crying out for an event like this, and we were really confident with the great line-up of acts,” he says. “However, you never know 100-percent how its going to go until you put tickets on sale. We hoped people would response well, and were very thankful and excited that’s been the case. That said, I have to admit that it sold faster than I thought, which has been great, and has already got us starting plans for 2022!”
Looking forward to the future, the brothers have big plans ahead for the Gippsland Country Music Festival. “Our dream is that the festival becomes an ongoing annual event that people have in the calendar, and come to year after year,” says Aidan. “We’ve already started talking to some great potential acts for 2022 and we are exploring a few ways we think we can make the event even better. That said, for now, all our attention is focused on making this year’s event as great as it can be for all the people who have supported it.”
The 2021 Gippsland Country Music Festival sports an impressive line-up. Headlined by Lee Kernaghan, the bill includes Brad Cox, Casey Barnes, Felicity Urquhart, Andrew Swift, The Davidson Brothers and more. Held at Mossvale Park in Berry’s Creek in South Gippsland, situated between Leongatha and Mirboo North, the festival is only about 150km from Melbourne. There are a host of wineries, food producers and boutique accommodation available nearby. The Gippsland Country Music Festival isn’t just about the music either. The event is jam-packed with entertainment, from whip-cracking demonstrations, to line dancing classes, rides, market stalls and a host of delicious Gippsland food and drinks including Smokehouse BBQ, food trucks and onsite bars.
For Aidan, this year’s festival is a chance to get together and share in a positive outlook for the future. “The last 12-months have been hard for everyone,” he says. “It’s a basic human need for people to gather together and share positive experiences, and everyone in the community is very much looking forward to when we can do that again. For most people, it’s been a very long time since they’ve been able to enjoy some live music with their friends and family, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure Gippsland Country Music Festival can be that first taste back for many. Restrictions are starting to lift, vaccines are on the horizon, we’re seeing more and more events announcing – and being COVID-safely delivered – and we’re excited to be playing our small part in helping get the live music train rolling again.”
Third and final tickets for the inaugural Gippsland Country Music Festival are on sale.
Saturday 24th April 2021 | 11.30am
Mossvale Park, Mossvale Park Road, Berry’s Creek, VIC
www.moshtix.com.au
For more information, please visit www.gippslandcountrymusicfestival.com
