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Homegrown festival
HOWLIN’ COUNTRY 
returns to
Newcastle in 2026
after sell-out debut year

US superstar LAINEY WILSON to headline February event alongside
Newcastle’s own MORGAN EVANS, FLATLAND CAVALRY (USA), KAITLIN BUTTS (USA) & more

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Lainey Wilson

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Morgan Evans

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Returning for another stacked year of country music goodness out on the beautiful Newcastle Foreshore, HOWLIN’ COUNTRY reveals its first wave of international and Australian talent set to perform in Summer 2026.

Following on from a SOLD OUT event in 2025, a natural evolution for HOWLIN’ COUNTRY was expected and for next year’s edition, fans are being blessed with performances by US country megastar LAINEY WILSON; Newcastle’s very own global country star MORGAN EVANS;  US performers KAITLIN BUTTS and FLATLAND CAVALRY; as well as local breakthroughs ADAM NEWLING & TYLA RODRIGUES. 

In her only Australian Festival appearance, headlining the event this year is one of the Country world’s biggest stars, Lainey Wilson. The 16x ACM, 9x CMA and GRAMMY Award winner has been on a monumental rise over the last few years – with eight number #1 hits including ‘4x4xU,’ ‘Watermelon  Moonshine’ and the 2x PLATINUM Certified ‘Heart Like A Truck’. Her latest single ‘Somewhere Over Laredo’ is currently on the rise to #1 Wilson also wrote and recorded ‘Out of Oklahoma’ for Twisters (2024), made her acting debut in Paramount’s Yellowstone, and has collaborated with the likes of Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. Her debut visit to the Hunter is not to be missed!

With his first appearance in Newcastle since 2023, Aria-award winning artist Morgan Evans will be tearing the house down with his world-renowned live show. One of Australia’s biggest Country stars, Morgan was born and raised in Newcastle, before moving over to Nashville to continue to build on his career – hitting milestone after milestone along the way. With hits such as his breakthrough Platinum-certified No.1 single ‘Kiss Somebody’ and Gold-certified hit ‘Day Drunk’, Evans has taken the country world by storm with over 800 million streams worldwide and countless sell-tours across the globe. 

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Flatland Cavalry

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Kaitlin Butts / Photo – Thomas Crabtree

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Continuing the festival’s strong international presence is Flatland Cavalry. The Nashville and Texas based sextet  have just celebrated 10 years together, in a career that has been full to the brim with accolades. The band have racked up seven #1 singles on Texas Country Radio and amassed more than 500 million streams, sharing the stage with Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Jordan Davis, Midland, and more.

Joining them on the Howlin’ 2026 lineup is frequent Flatland Cavalry collaborator (and wife of frontman Cleto Cordero), Kaitlin Butts. A truly one-of-a-kind artist, Kaitlin Butts has a deep affinity for country music’s more theatrical side, the extravagant storytelling, dazzling showmanship, songs embedded with both unbridled emotion and quick-fire humor. At Howlin’, the Tulsa native will be bringing her critically acclaimed 2024 album ‘Roadrunner!’ to life; a 17-track high-concept album that acts as a modern-day reimagining of the soundtrack to her all-time favorite musical, ‘Oklahoma!’

The 2026 edition of the festival will also feature some of Australia’s brightest local stars, including Newcastle-favourite Adam Newling; one of the most unique voices in Australian music today, Adam’s blend of alt-rock and country has captured the hearts of fans and the industry alike with his poetic lyricism and unruly, heartfelt vocal style; and Tyla Rodrigues, a remarkable new talent in the realm of country music hailing from Brisbane, with a refreshing appreciation for classic country storytelling, paired with thoroughly modern charisma.

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As a 100% locally owned and operated festival, Howlin’ Country has a strong commitment to the Newcastle community – whether that be through locally sourced vendors, staff or its commitment to showcasing some of the region’s best local talent. As explained by Howlin’ Country promoter Moe Matthew, this sense of community is what makes this festival stand out from the rest.

“It’s great to have Howlin’ back for another year. From day one, the festival was built to support our local music scene, artists, and businesses. Each year, we put a strong focus on showcasing homegrown talent, and having Adam Newling and Morgan Evans on the lineup this year really captures what Howlin’ is all about. We still have a few more artists to add to the lineup, but so far it feels like it’s shaping up to be a fun day out in an awesome city, and one you can enjoy with the whole family. ” MOE MATTHEW

With tickets on sale from 1pm on Tuesday the 12th of August, this is the perfect opportunity for Howlin’ Country fans to start planning their experience for 2026 – a number of ticket types are on offer to ensure the most inclusive and accessible music festival experience for all ages.

HOWLIN’ PREMIUM: The best seats in the house, complete with a bar, toilets and baked goods courtesy of Crumb Bakery HOWLIN’ HOTEL / VIP TICKETS: Available for 18+ only.

YOUTH TICKET: Available for 16 & 17 year olds wishing to attend without parents/guardians.

KIDS UNDER 16: Allowed to attend with a parent/guardian.

KIDS UNDER 3: Free!

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Adam Newling / Photo – Charlie Hardy

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Tyla Rodrigues

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HOWLIN’ COUNTRY 2026

Tickets on-sale from TICKETS

Saturday 14 February Newcastle Foreshore NSW

FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

LAINEY WILSON
MORGAN EVANS
FLATLAND CAVALRY
KAITLIN BUTTS
ADAM NEWLING
TYLA RODRIGUES
&
CHEAP WHISKEY DJs 
+ MORE ARTISTS ON THE WAY

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Follow HOWLIN’ COUNTRY
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Youtube

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AMNPLIFY – DB