Schooners and Songlines: Tooheys pours it on for TCMF

There are a few certainties in life: country music will always find a stage in Tamworth, and there’ll always be a cold one not far from the action. This year, that truth is looking especially frothy.

Tooheys, the self-declared “beer of New South Wales”, is rolling into the Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival with kegs blazing, expecting to pour a staggering 25,000 litres of beer over ten sun-drenched days. That’s roughly 60,000 schooners.

As the newly minted Official Beer Partner of TCMF 2026, Tooheys is putting its money (and malt) where its mouth is. For the first time, the brand will take centre stage at Australia’s home of country music, launching “Muster” sessions from 16–25 January. Think of it as a happy hour meets hoedown, featuring some of the nation’s favourite music acts, and, yes, plenty of cold beer to go with.

“Muster sessions are the perfect opportunity for music-lovers to grab their mates, grab a Tooheys, and soak up the sounds,” the company says, without a trace of irony.

Held at local watering holes like Wests Leagues, the Courthouse Hotel, and the iconic Joe Maguires, these daily 2 pm gatherings will combine live music with merch giveaways, including the much-hyped Tooheys x Ringers Western hat (yours free with the purchase of four schooners – assuming you’ve still got your balance by the fourth).

If your ears need a break from the boot-scootin’ and your liver needs a brief ceasefire, the new Tooheys Country Club in Toyota Park promises a more civilised scene. Think acoustic sets, comfy seats, and “unmissable drink specials”.

Karen Sterling-Levis, Brand Director – Core Beer at LION, frames the move as a natural alignment.

“For over 150 years, Tooheys has proudly backed NSW communities. The Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival reflects that same spirit … We’re proud to support an event that means so much to the artists, the locals, and the fans who return year after year.”

Festival Manager Barry Harley agrees.

“Tooheys has been part of that landscape here for decades … It’s a brand that understands and supports regional NSW.”

And let’s be honest – between the bold branding blitz, the river of schooners, and the branded headwear, there’ll be no mistaking who’s backing this particular hootenanny.

But amid the sudsy celebrations, a gentle reminder: it’s perfectly OK to tap the brakes. While festivals are built on big moments and even bigger rounds, no one’s keeping score. Whether you’re raising a glass of lager, a soda, or just a stubby of water, your choice is yours, and it’s always OK to say no.

So enjoy the music, enjoy the mateship, and however you raise your glass, or don’t, make it a festival to remember.

Cheers to that.