New Zealand country music festival Tussock Country, which was first held in Gore last year, has been cancelled for 2022. 

The ten-day long festival has been cancelled over concerns about Covid-19 spread in the community. 

Festival chairman Jeff Rea said it was an agonising decision to make and there had been lengthy discussions with stakeholders in the past week.

“There is still much uncertainty surrounding events and what the growing spread of Omicron in the community will mean in the coming weeks and months. Ensuring the safety of our festival, the people of Eastern Southland and our supportive patrons nationwide continues to be at the forefront of our decision making”.

While the major festival events cannot be held, it’s hoped smaller community events and live music gigs will still go ahead in the town’s hospitality venues. 

“Gore remains New Zealand’s capital of country music, and we’ll continue to promote and support live entertainment this year, while advancing plans for an action-packed festival in 2023”, Rea said.

Following the success of the inaugural festival held in 2021, Tussock Country was set to stage over 50 events across ten days in late May and early June, encompassing events managed by the Gore Country Music Club, the NZ Songwriters Trust, the NZ Gold Guitar committee, the Gore District Council and many other independent artists and community organisations.

Organisers day the Tussock Country Music Festival will now be held from May 26th to June 5th 2023.