All of the big names are already signed up and everyone seems to be looking forward to this… even if it is a complete bust.

Founders Entertainment, has created the first: FarmBorough Festival. It’s a leap of faith, for sure, but also a bet on New York’s large, growing country market. Whether it can draw in enough New Yorkers to thrive is yet to be determined.

FarmBorough’s general strategy is to target fans from the region rather than trying to lure curious New Yorkers. This decision starts with the lineup, which squarely hits the center of current popular country music: The Billboard mainstays Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan will headline.

A bigger challenge may be drawing the musicians, many of whom don’t often perform in New York.

The roster does little to dispel the recent criticisms of the genre’s stark gender disparity.

Marketing for FarmBorough has been much more traditional, including television and radio stations like Nash FM, where country fans are more likely to tune in. And the organizers hope that country fans will make the trip to New York to take in both the music and the city.

This year, FarmBorough is not going to sell out, or come particularly close. According to organizers, it is on pace to sell 40,000 to 45,000 tickets over the weekend (a three-day pass costs $225), or 15,000 people a day.

Gary Bongiovanni, the editor of Pollstar, an industry trade publication, said: “The truth is, most festivals in their first one to three years lose money. It’s part of establishing a local identity.” He added, “But if they’re successful enough to show they can grow it — and Live Nation certainly has the deep pockets to withstand a marginal year — I would look for them to come back.”

Both Founders and Live Nation expressed a commitment to the festival in the long run, regardless of how Year 1 proceeds.

Would You Ever Go?

The festival is supposed to start this Friday for Fourth of July. New York features some of the greatest artists in the world however, a presence for Country Music is lacking.

If you where in the area and had a few hundred bucks would you ever go and see some of your favorite players?

Talk To Us!

This Article Was Adapted From: N.Y. Times 

Photo Source: Brad Paisley Credit Christopher Polk/Getty Images For iHeartMedia