The district will also try to improve its ability to accommodate the crowds it hopes to attract when a four-day programme becomes a nine-day festival.
The Tussock Country Music Festival will replace the four-day event in late May, the New Zealand Country Music Festival Trust confirmed last night.
Trust chairman Jeff Rea said the Gold Guitars would remain integral to a festival that would expand its focus.
It would also seek to double the number of people who visited the district, and expand upon the centres from which they were attracted.
A survey produced during the 2019 music festival found it was worth about $1 million to the Gore district economy.
It attracted an estimated 2400 people, largely from the surrounding district, Southland and Otago.
The largest single age group was older than 65.
Mr Rea said he hoped to double attendance in five to ten years.
Lack of accommodation was a challenge to be addressed, Mr Rea said.
The 2019 survey found vistors stayed three to four nights and most stayed with family or friends, reflecting the district’s limited accommodation capacity.
In 2019, 15% of visitors stayed in motorhomes.
Four new events would be announced in January but the expanded format would continue to include all the events previously part of the Gold Guitars weekend.
The 2019 survey found the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards senior final was the most significant drawcard: 90% of respondents attended.
"Gold Guitars will remain an integral event as part of the festival, the overall name change will not compromise it," Mr Rea said.
Stakeholders in the trust include the Gore Country Music Trust, the Gore District Council, the New Zealand Songwriters Trust and the New Zealand Gold Guitar Committee.
Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks said the purpose of the rebranding was to co-ordinate events in the community and to package them together, as well as the addition of new events yet to be announced.
"Putting everything under the umbrella of Tussock Country will make it more attractive for people who may not be ardent country fans but see the value of what is happening in their community."
He said the event would enhance the inherent value in the community, create business opportunities and it was hoped to attract a larger group of people.
"What is being launched is not replacing anything but improving the wide range of opportunities we have available."
He said any challenges surrounding the capacity of Gore to host a nine-day event would be tackled as a community.
"We have an idea of where pressure points might be and I’m confident this community will be able to rise to the task."
Mr Rea said the trust aimed to increase the profile of Gore and country music.
"Putting together the Tussock Country Music Festival is an exciting step in building on Gore’s 40-year tradition of country music celebrations."
The festival format would take some time to grow.
"We are going to have to walk before we can run," Mr Rea said.
It might be one of those events that "gets on people’s bucket lists", he said.
- Sandy Eggleston and Emma Perry
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Comments
Alarm bells ring for me.
I have judged top awards but for no reason, never been to Gore.
There is no one NZ award and no one Assn in that all clubs or members belong to – therefore whilst ‘Gold Guitars’ has a top reputation, it is one of many so called awards that many country clubs run.
Country artists like to accumulate awards so they can advertise their concerts as “award winning artist”.
Rebranding is always a sign that things are not working. As for accommodation, most country supporters are not well off so will always stay with “friends”.
But I get amused with “largest single age group was older than 65” and “senior final was the most significant drawcard 90%”
I would say the genre is sadly dying and when you are getting so many “splinter” clubs in NZ run by an individual, the genre has been in crisis for yonks despite it being one of the most popular.
Sadly the top NZ artists have died off with no one to replace them. We need better judges with more credibility and better talent scouts.