Tussock Country Tallys 2.1M For Gore

The final figures have been calculated for this year’s Bayleys Tussock Country - New Zealand’s Country Music Festival, held in Gore from May 28th until June 2nd.

72 events spanned ten days, attracted 10,322 participants from around New Zealand and Australia and resulted in a $2.1 million injection into the Eastern Southland economy, post festival economic data has confirmed.

Despite a challenging economic climate, visitor numbers and their daily spend were consistent with last year, however their average length of stay in Gore increased to 4.3 nights compared to 2.8 nights in 2021 and 3.6 nights in 2023.

This is attributed to a growing awareness of the wide range of festival events now available, encouraging patrons to stay longer in town and enjoy the variety on offer, and the abundance of accommodation now available thanks to the festival and community’s private home and room rental scheme.

New events added this year included two additional ODT Tussock Stage shows, a platform for emerging musicians to perform original music, and sell out events The Capital Of Country Music - 50 Years Of The Gore Country Music Club documentary, and Coral McCauley’s cinnamon oyster workshop.

The festival also focused on ensuring locals of all ages enjoyed a taste of Tussock, with artists Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields delivering a free show to Ribbonwood Country Home in Tapanui and over eighty children marvelled at a _ energy-filled show by Christchurch based children’s entertainer, Jeff Parsnips.

“We acknowledge the tireless work of volunteers and key event organisations —the Gore Country Music Club, the NZ Songwriters Trust, the MLT NZ Gold Guitar Awards committee and the Gore District Council who all share our vision of developing this relatively new festival concept into one of New Zealand’s biggest and most successful annual music events,” says Trust chair, Jeff Rea.

“Witnessing the festival’s growth and the benefits it’s bringing to our community is a welcome reward for the efforts of many, and we look forward to delivering a significantly bigger festival in 2025 as we join the MLT NZ Gold Guitar Awards in their 50th year celebrations.”

In addition to the dozens of music concerts hosted during the festival, the uniquely Southern variety of events continues to delight attendees – in particular the cheese roll making workshop, the Gore Truck Show, the farm and mai mai tour and the local moonshine and food matching event will likely be returning to the action packed festival calendar in 2025.

“Bayleys Tussock Country - New Zealand’s Country Music Festival represents an energising, inspiring new era for the national country music scene. We’re delighted so many have embraced this concept and look forward to another action packed festival of events, musicians and audiences from throughout New Zealand in 2025 and beyond,” Rea says.

Bayleys Tussock Country – New Zealand’s Country Music Festival will be held in Gore from May 23rd until June 1st 2025. For performers and competitors, event registrations open in September and ticket sales to attend events open in February 2025.

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