Seven years after it first began, The British Country Music Festival has reached the end of its Blackpool chapter. Before the festival heads to Manchester and becomes Song City in 2027, the 2026 edition brought one final weekend of country and Americana to the Winter Gardens, with a lineup that stretched from established names and international artists to emerging talent and local representation.

I was there for the whole weekend and did my best to catch as many artists as possible, although the sheer number of acts meant that I inevitably couldn't see everyone. Those I did manage to catch, however, provided plenty of memorable moments and more than a few surprises along the way.

Friday: From Acoustic Harmonies to Grit, Soul and Country-Punk

My festival began on Friday with Honey Ryder in The Arena, performing as an acoustic trio.

I remembered seeing the band back in 2019, and it was great to come across them again. Their three-part vocal harmonies remain a major part of their appeal, complemented by a sound that comfortably moves between Americana, folk-rock, country and radio-ready pop hooks.

They also gave the audience a taste of their new song, "Hugh Jackman (Sure Do Pick 'Em)". It certainly seemed to make an impression. After the performance, one of the event photographers turned to me and said, "that's going to be a hit".

Thomas Kavanagh followed with an engaging set of country-soul anthems, armed with little more than his acoustic guitar and a set of songs that allowed the music to do the talking.

Then it was time to move into the spectacular Empress Ballroom, where Demi Marriner opened the main stage with a seriously impressive Dolly Parton tribute to "Jolene", complete with Dolly's name projected behind her.

Raintown were next, bringing their rich vocal harmonies and Scottish roots to country and Americana. They proved to be a strong choice to open the night's main stage lineup, immediately giving the ballroom a taste of the variety the festival had to offer. 

Jessica Sevier Brings the Attitude

Canada's Jessica Sevier then made her UK festival debut, and she certainly wasn't short on energy.

With rebellious themes, plenty of attitude and a high-swagger vocal performance, Sevier brought a rock edge to her set while keeping her country roots firmly intact. At just 23, she injected a welcome sense of youth into the evening, performing alongside an all-female band.

There were plenty of strong songs in the set, but "Good To Drive" particularly caught my attention. Sevier's confident, commanding vocals suited the attitude of the song, while her rock edge gave the performance plenty of energy. At just 23, she already has an impressive live presence and plenty of potential, making Jessica an artist definitely worth keeping an eye on. 

Elles Bailey Leaves a Lasting Impression 

Then came Friday night's headliner, Elles Bailey.

Over the past few years, Bailey has accumulated an impressive collection of UK Blues and Americana awards, while also receiving regular playlisting on BBC Radio 2, praise from Bob Harris and a touring opportunity with Rag'n'Bone Man last year.

So, I thought we must be in for a treat.

She didn't disappoint.

The moment she opened up vocally, it became obvious why her shared "grit and gravel" vocal quality with Rag'n'Bone Man would have made her such a natural choice to support him.

Partway through the set, Elles reflected on the experience of playing the festival and the importance of her recent Radio 2 support:

"The fans have been absolutely amazing, We've also got all those songs we just played on radio 2, I'm an independent artist, so getting opportunities like that are so crazy, and I feel deeply grateful, especially that Better Days got playlisted, it's written by Matt Long, one of the last times I saw Matt was in this room, and it's still so special to play that song in here."

The reference to the late Matt Long gave the moment an added emotional weight.

Musically, there was plenty going on too. Her band featured a brass section, adding another layer to the arrangements, while Demi Marriner returned to the stage following her Dolly tribute.

The pairing of the two vocalists was particularly effective. Elles' deep, smoky and gritty lead vocal contrasted beautifully with Demi's crystal-clear, high-range harmonies. The difference between Elles' low-register rasp and Demi's soaring upper range created one of the most striking vocal combinations of the weekend.

The audience clearly loved it, and for me, Elles Bailey was without question one of the highlights of the festival.

Bronnie Rounds Off the Night

Bronnie was a great way to bring Friday night to a close.

The Wirral-born, Nashville-based pop-punk-turned-country artist brought plenty of personality and stage presence to the ballroom. Having fairly recently relocated to Nashville, it will be interesting to see how her career develops as she continues building her audience in the USA.

She also took time to introduce members of her band, explaining:

"Give it up for Flynn on the bass everyone, Flynn and I went to high school together."

She then introduced producer Peter Gebbie:

"Give it up for Peter Gebbie, he's also my producer, he's amazing. We've been working together for 10 years, we met at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, so we're pretty much The Beatles."

Her performance combined raw, diary-entry intimacy with a bright, clear vocal tone, giving the set a very personal feel.

Saturday: Local Talent and a Scottish Surprise

After the intensity of Friday night, I returned to the festival early Saturday afternoon to catch local artist Mikala Fredriksson in The Arena.

Mikala has been performing around the UK and Europe for more than 15 years, although more recently she has shifted towards writing and performing her own material.

Festival promoter Marina introduced her to the stage, explaining that Mikala was from Blackpool and that the festival likes to give local artists a platform too.

It was a decision that paid off.

Her songs covered horses, relationships and more traditional country themes, but what worked particularly well was the way she explained the stories behind them. The audience was heavily invested throughout, and judging by the round of applause at the end, it was clear that she had made a real connection with the room.

Afterwards, Mikala told me, "I loved it, I need to do these gigs more."

Her guitarist also brought a great sound to the performance, complementing her vocals particularly well.

After a heavy Friday night, I took a little break before returning to the festival on Saturday evening for the main acts.

Lennie Gallant Brings His Canadian Roots 

Opening the evening was Canada's Lennie Gallant.

Performing alongside a fiddle and keys player, Gallant proved to be a real treat and a great opener. It quickly became apparent why he is regarded as one of Canada's most decorated roots and folk musicians, having accumulated a huge list of prestigious institutional honours and songwriting awards.

He also wasn't afraid to have a bit of fun.

"It Takes a Lotta Liquor to Bury a Horse" raised a chuckle from me, particularly once I discovered the story behind it. The song was inspired by a real-life phone call from a friend who literally had to bury a horse on his farm and remarked on how much alcohol it took to get through the chore.

It's certainly not every day you hear a country song with quite that backstory.

Laura Aston Charms the Crowd 

Laura Aston was next, also performing alongside a fiddle player.

She appeared to have a natural, friendly and easy-going connection with the crowd, which helped her set settle comfortably into the evening.

"We went on tour with the one and only Chesney Hawkes March this year, honestly he's such an incredible guy, we were just waiting backstage and we wrote this song 'Good Girl Gone Bad'," she explained before performing the song with her deep, rich tones.

Her set offered an enjoyable combination of original material and some well-chosen crowd-pleasing covers.

Vocally, Aston was impressive, delivering her songs with a rich tone and an easy confidence on stage. 

Cammy Barnes: The Surprise Package of the Weekend

Then came the Saturday night headliner, Cammy Barnes, and he turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the entire weekend.

I hadn't really listened to him before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd read that he had been a semi-finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2023, and I'd also read that he has a barbershop.

I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure whether I was about to see another novelty act whose television appearance was more memorable than the music.

Instead, I got one of the standout performances of the weekend.

Barnes possessed serious vocal power and took to the stage with a commanding presence. His set moved effortlessly between foot-stomping belters such as "Whiskey Roll" and stripped-back, deeply personal songs such as "Bonnie's Song", giving the performance plenty of contrast.

Then there were the bagpipes.

Being able to blast out the bagpipes before instantly switching back into a powerful vocal verse like he did on "Whiskey Roll" was seriously impressive. Bringing bagpipes into the mix isn't something you see every day on a country stage, but here it worked exceptionally well.

Barnes also knew exactly how to work the crowd, and the audience responded accordingly.

By the end of the set, he had definitely won another fan in me.

His Celtic country-rock sound would surely appeal to Mumford & Sons fans, while his Scottish humour and larger-than-life character occasionally brought to mind Lewis Capaldi.

For me, Cammy Barnes was one of the genuine discoveries of the weekend.

Down in Laurel Canyon

Down in Laurel Canyon then provided a fitting end to Saturday night.

The band performed a selection of classic crowd-pleasers inspired by the legendary catalogue of music born in California's Laurel Canyon during the counterculture boom of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

They sounded fantastic.

The band was sharp, the harmonies were exceptional, and it was obvious that this wasn't simply another covers band going through the motions. There was a genuine appreciation for the music and the era behind it.

Sunday: From Classical Tones to Country Party Anthems

Sunday afternoon brought me back to the festival to catch Hollie Rogers.

Rogers displayed impressive dynamic range throughout her set, with clarity and tone that really stood out. Her stripped-back material revealed an almost operatic, classical quality to her voice, while the fuller band arrangements moved into more pop-soul territory.

She introduced one song by explaining that it was about the Penzance to St Ives coastal road in Cornwall before performing "The Coast Road".

The stripped-back arrangement provided a perfect example of that classical side of her voice.

At the end of the song she remarked:

"It's a treat to play that song to a room this size with pin drop silence."

She also joked, "that was Cornish at the end I was singing, not gibberish."

"He Reminds Me of You" was my favourite song of her set. It showcased more of her pop sound, and I could even hear a touch of Sam Fender in there.

Ryan Langdon Turns the Ballroom Into a Party

Ryan Langdon was next, and he delivered one of the most entertaining sets of the weekend.

Making his first UK festival appearance from Canada, Langdon brought a deep baritone vocal and a hybrid style combining pop-country and R&B influences.

He wasn't shy about having a boogie on stage either.

His energy was infectious, and his countryfied version of the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" had the room going. His "No Diggity" cover was another surprise, with both releases having already gained millions of streams.

But while Langdon was clearly capable of turning the performance into a party, he also demonstrated that he could strip everything back and hold the room with nothing more than his voice and an acoustic guitar.

He has a decent catalogue of original material too, including "Country Like You", and he was another of my personal highlights of the weekend.

Afterwards, I even managed to have a chat with Ryan and grab a picture, as well as having a quick chat with his session drummer, Red Fielder-van Kleeff, who had also played with Jessica Sevier on Friday. She did a great job with both acts.

Smithfield Bring Nashville to Blackpool

Next came the main Sunday headliners, Smithfield, a Nashville-based independent duo who have achieved an impressive amount despite operating independently.

With millions of global streams and countless Grand Ole Opry appearances already under their belts, they have certainly made an impact.

Their style and sound immediately gave me Lady A vibes, but it was their live vocal harmonies that really stood out.

You could tell that these two had grown up together doing this. There was a natural chemistry between them that came across strongly on stage.

"It's crazy growing up in Texas it was hard for us to imagine that country fans were even in New York City, much less than a whole other country, but you guys are some of the greatest country music fans we've ever met," they told the Blackpool audience before launching into "Something Sexy".

"We'll Figure It Out" was another standout, and is their most-streamed song on Spotify.

The Rosellys Deliver a Traditional Finale 

Closing the festival were The Rosellys, and they finished the weekend in great style.

With pedal steel, fiddle and even accordion among the instrumentation, their traditional country and bluegrass influences were impossible to miss.

There was something particularly satisfying about hearing the pedal steel ringing out around the Empress Ballroom, and their traditional approach provided a fitting contrast to some of the more contemporary sounds heard across the weekend.

They brought the festival to a close by saying:

"What an amazing place, This is called 'On the Porch', have a good hoedown."

And with that, the seventh British Country Music Festival came to an end.

Final Thoughts

Seven years in, The British Country Music Festival has clearly found an identity of its own.

There have obviously been tweaks and changes along the way, but this year's festival once again delivered a strong and varied lineup. The numbers in the Empress Ballroom appeared to be up from previous years, which was encouraging to see, while the festival retained the qualities that have always made it appealing.

For me, that is the relaxed atmosphere, the candlelit tables, the spectacular surroundings and, above all, the friendly environment.

It is also the variety.

Over the course of one weekend, there was everything from traditional country and bluegrass to Americana, blues, folk-rock, pop-country, R&B influences, Celtic country-rock and even a few unexpected turns along the way.

Some artists arrived with reputations I already knew, while others completely surprised me. Cammy Barnes was perhaps the biggest example of that, while Ryan Langdon, Jessica Sevier and others also left strong impressions.

That mixture of established artists, international performers, emerging talent and local musicians is what makes a festival like this work.

There is also now a significant change on the horizon.

Next year, the festival will leave Blackpool and move to Manchester, where it will be renamed Song City, providing a platform for UK and international country and Americana singer-songwriters.

The dates are already set for 27-29 August 2027.

After seven years in Blackpool, it will undoubtedly be strange not to be heading back to the Winter Gardens, but it will also be exciting to see what the next chapter brings.

If this year's festival is anything to go by, the move to Manchester could mark the beginning of something even bigger.

For now, though, I'll remember the 2026 edition for the music, the atmosphere, the surprises and, of course, that unforgettable combination of country music and the iconic Empress Ballroom.