Europe’s biggest country music festival, C2C: Country to Country, has been officially named the recipient of the prestigious ACM International Award. Announced by the Academy of Country Music as part of the line-up for the 19th annual ACM Honours, the prize recognizes outstanding efforts in expanding the reach and influence of the genre across the world.
Inspired by the legacy of Jim Reeves, the award places C2C in an elite category of industry leaders. The festival joins an illustrious list of previous international winners that includes global icons Dolly Parton, Luke Combs, Taylor Swift, and Kacey Musgraves.
“C2C has become the focal point in the calendar for fans and artists in the UK and Europe,” organisers Jack Dowling of SJM Concerts and Rachel Lloyd of AEG Presents shared in a joint statement celebrating the milestone. “The festival has been committed to bringing over the best in Country Music for over 10 years, as well as providing a platform for developing artists to showcase their songs to a global audience. To be recognised by the ACMs is a testament to everyone who has been involved.”
The timing of the honour aligns perfectly with a massive boom period for country music across the continent. Over the past decade, C2C has grown into a major multi-city destination, establishing its footprint across London, Glasgow, Manchester, Berlin, and Rotterdam.
“It is an incredibly exciting time to be at the forefront of the genre’s growth in the UK and Europe,” Dowling and Lloyd added. “In the last few years we’ve seen artists who started out playing our festival stages rise up to headline the event, and we know there’s more to come. C2C will always support the next generation of artists in their international development.”
The festival’s recent 2026 edition saw standard-setting headline performances from country music icons Brooks & Dunn, Zach Top, and Keith Urban. The star-heavy weekend added to an illustrious legacy of past billings that has brought top-tier talent like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Old Dominion, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves, Reba McEntire, and Eric Church to European soil.
With its status as a global powerhouse officially cemented by the Academy of Country Music, the festival is already looking toward the future. Country to Country has confirmed its highly anticipated return in 2027, with the multi-city festival set to take over arenas across London, Glasgow, Manchester, Berlin, and Rotterdam. Fans can stay tuned for more information regarding next year’s line-up.
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