Tamworth’s Peel Street has long been ruled by whoever could grab a good spot first, but that free-for-all is coming to an end, with the Tamworth Country Music Festival introducing a centrally coordinated busking system for 2027.
Busking registrations are now open for the Toyota 55th Tamworth Country Music Festival, which will run from 15 to 24 January 2027. Busking is one of the Festival’s most iconic traditions, with up to 400 buskers performing on Tamworth’s “Boulevard of Dreams” in Peel Street and surrounding areas each year, free of charge.
Developed following extensive feedback from the community and 2026 buskers, the new system will see all busking locations and schedules managed by the Festival’s Busking Coordinator through an online system, with official busking locations clearly marked throughout the CBD. Businesses will no longer be able to allocate busking sites directly, though they can still nominate preferred performers or request an exclusive approved busker where an existing relationship exists.
Festival Executive Producer Peter Ross said the changes had been carefully considered following extensive feedback and consultation with stakeholders.
“By managing locations and schedules centrally, we can provide a more organised and equitable process while still recognising the strong relationships many performers have built with local businesses over the years,” Mr Ross said.
Buskers will also need to comply with new sound requirements. Amplification is still permitted, but performers will be encouraged to keep equipment to a minimum, with a maximum sound level of 70 decibels, and some locations will operate as acoustic-only zones at certain times.
Acoustic instruments, compact battery-powered amplification and light percussion remain welcome, while excessively loud equipment such as subwoofers, full drum kits, large PA systems and non-musical entertainment acts will not be permitted.
“Busking is the heartbeat of the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and we are excited to create a more transparent system that gives every registered performer the best possible opportunity to be seen and heard,” Mr Ross said.
The Toyota Best of the Buskers Championships will also return in 2027, celebrating the Festival’s outstanding street performers. Buskers who nominate to compete will be assessed by a panel of secret judges throughout the Festival, while fans can vote for their favourite performer via a QR code displayed on each registered busker’s official poster. The public’s choice will win the Festival Fan Favourite award and automatically earn a place in the Toyota Best of the Buskers Top 10, with finalists competing for cash, performance opportunities and industry prizes.
Buskers can register now for a spot on the Boulevard of Dreams
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