The countdown is on for Manitoba’s largest country music festival!

Dauphin’s Countryfest (the site is nestled along the edge of Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park) is Canada’s longest running country music festival and provides first-class entertainment to the many loyal fans that have attended the festival since 1990. This year the festival runs from June 30 to July 3. It is four days of more than an outstanding line-up of entertainers on three stages. There is lots of fun stuff to do including the perogy eating contest, the Home Hardware campground contest (you decorate your camp site, your tent, whatever – to the EXTREME!), helicopter rides, beach volleyball tournament, chilling out in the Canadian Tire Sports Bar while catching up on football scores on their six TVs and more!

This festival is unique. The amphitheatre for the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Main Stage is built right into a hill with bleacher seating offering everyone a great seat. The MTS Stage on the hilltop is completely covered over so no one gets wet if it rains. There is the Credit Union Corral Stage and Saloon for more intimate shows and where you can catch the 14th Annual 730 CKDM Battle of the Bands Competition. The winning band walks away with $2000.00 cash and a performance spot at Countryfest 2017!

Friday, July 1, is the all-Canadian artists day. It is Canada Day after all. Catch Canadian greats Dean Brody, Dallas Smith, Chad Brownlee, Autumn Hill, High Valley and others. The weekend also features Canadian up and comers Petric, Kendra Kay, the Ryan Keown Band, Quinton Blair and the Lovelocks.

There will be a very special tribute on Sunday night. Ben and Noel Haggard with The Strangers will be honouring a legend – their father, Merle Haggard. This will be one of the highlights of Countryfest 2016. (Merle Haggard was originally scheduled to perform as the headliner for Sunday night.)

This is a must go to summer festival.

For more information, visit http://countryfest.ca. You’ll find festival information here, the complete 2016 line-up, how to purchase festival tickets and venue campsites.