McDonald's Australia and Tamworth Country Music Festival to launch new talent competition

McDonald's Australia have teamed up with organisers of Tamworth's Toyota Country Music Festival to help launch a new country music talent competition.

Dubbed 'The Golden Gig', the competition will be open to artists aged 17 and under and will see entrants perform at the 2022 festival.

2022 marks the 50th anniversary for the Toyota Country Music Festival, and will take place from Friday, January 14 – Sunday, January 23.

With the Macca's stage set up in the event's Family Zone on Kable Avenue, the Golden Gig Grand Final taking place at 11am on the festival's final day.

The competition will have two categories: one for 12-year-olds and under, and one for those aged 13 - 17.

Prizes up for grabs include a choice of taking home an electric-acoustic guitar, a digital piano, an interface or set of electronic drums – provided by Yamaha – and, for the 13 - 17 category, a spot at the Country Music Association of Australia’s Junior Academy, which is valued at $3,000.

McDonald's Australia are also using the festival to showcase local farmers who provide produce to the fast food giant, as well as other local franchises.

The 50th anniversary lineup includes the likes of Lee Kernaghan, Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, John Williamson, Busby Marou, Graeme Connors, d Brooke McClymont & Adam Eckersley, Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham, Fanny Lumsden and Adam Brand, Travis Collins, The Bushwackers and Catherine Britt.

The event's general manager Barry Harley acknowledged “a challenging couple of years”, after 2021's cancellation cost the Tamworth region $105 million.

“But we have been reassured and inspired by the release of the NSW Government’s Reopening Roadmap," he said in a statement, "and we want the industry, artists, promoters, visitors, everyone to know that the Toyota Country Music Festival is on and we’re ready to celebrate."