City scores place on country music festival roster

American performer Post Malone will headline a major new country music festival that comes to Ballarat in October.

The Strummingbird festival was launched last year, and this year has included Ballarat as the only Victorian location on its three-stop tour.

The others are Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast, with the Ballarat show scheduled for Saturday 10 October from noon to 11pm.

Malone heads a roster of 17 acts scheduled for the Ballarat stop. Malone, a singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor, blends various genres including pop, hip-hop, trap, country, R&B, and rock.

He will be joined by Bailey Zimmerman (U.S.), Cooper Alan (U.S.), Stella Lefty (U.S.), Brad Cox (Australia), Briana Dinsdale (Australia) and more.

Strummingbird events feature country performers, country-themed DJ sets and line dancing.

They are promoted as family friendly, all-ages events and more than 30,000 people are expected to attend here.

The City of Ballarat has hailed the announcement as cementing the city’s status as a major live music events destination, predicting that it will inject anywhere from $6m to $9m into the local economy.

“Festivals like Strummingbird continue to profile Ballarat as a major event destination,” mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves said.

She said festivals like Strummingbird highlight Ballarat’s strength in successfully hosting and attracting major events.

“As the only event in Victoria, we expect visitors to travel from all around the state to attend this event and we look forward to welcoming them to Ballarat,” Cr Hargreaves said.

Tourism Midwest (TMV) chair John Pandazopoulos also welcomed the news.

“These events drive strong visitation and spending, benefiting accommodation providers, hospitality venues and local attractions as festivalgoers explore the region both before and after the event,” he said.

“Strummingbird is sure to be another bumper weekend and is going to further cement Ballarat’s reputation as Victoria’s regional music capital.”

Pre-sale tickets available through the website, strummingbird.com.au, on 13 May. General ticket sales begin on 14 May.