Europe’s largest country music festival, Country to Country, has just announced their expansion to Manchester to come in 2027.
What began in 2013 as a three-day festival at the O2 Arena in London has grown into a sprawling multi-city event across the continent. This year’s festivities begin March 13 and run to March 15 at London’s O2 Arena, Glasgow’s Hydro and Belfast’s SSE Arena. And next year, Manchester will join the ranks.
It was announced across the festival’s official social accounts this morning that in 2027, events will also take place in Machester’s AO Arena and the New Century Hall. No dates are yet confirmed for next year’s Country to Country festival, but pre-sale will go on Wednesday 18 March with general sale commencing Friday 20 March. Details can be found in the post below.
There’s no lineup yet announced for the 2027 festival, but 2026’s festivities will be headlined by Zach Top, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn. The festival’s official site asserts C2C as “the best in country music and programming” including performances from “the world’s best country stars as well as emerging talent from Nashville, UK and Europe.”
Country to Country’s landing in the North will be supported by Manchester Accommodation BID, which Manchester Evening News described as “a ground-breaking initiative led by the city’s hotel and serviced apartment providers to help bring new events to Manchester and Salford.” The goal of the Manchester Accommodation BID is to “deliver better visitor experiences and additional activity to drive more staying visitors,” as well as assuring Manchester can compete better in a global market.
The C2C expansion comes soon after the BRIT Awards took place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. It was the esteemed award ceremony’s first time outside of London. Sacha Lord, the Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser from 2018 to 2025, commented on X about the recent event buzz around Manchester. He says, “in terms of Events, nowhere in the UK is coming even close to Greater Manchester.” He went on to list recent landmark events, “MTV Europe, The Brits, The MOBO’s, and now Europes Biggest Country Music Festival” saying the choice to set these in Manchester “isn’t a coincidence.”
The so-called Capital of the North has a rich music history, with icons such as The Smiths, Oasis and The 1975 all calling Manchester their hometown. Country music stars such as Megan Moroney and Brandi Carlisle are both making trips to the UK on their tours this year, proving the hotly rising country music scene in the UK has strong roots in the North.
To register for pre-sale Country to Country 2027, sign up for the festival’s official mailing list, here. Pre-sale takes place on Wednesday 18 March, ahead of general sale on Friday 20 March.
