Photo: Rockin' River Music Fest

The province is spending $150,000 on Merritt's Rockin' River Music Fest this year.

The country music festival expects about 29,000 fans to make their way to Merritt, from Aug. 3-6. Willie Nelson, Toby Keith and Aaron Pritchett are headlining this year.

The funding is part of Destination BC's Tourism Events Program, a government funding program with the aim of supporting “the delivery of world-class events that can both increase the volume of visitors to British Columbia, and increase global recognition for the province,” according to the Desitnation BC website.

Events must apply for funding, and those that are chosen, according to the website, must offer high tourism value, engage the local community and be supported by the local community.

Last year, the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival was the only music festival to recieve the funding. Big White's World Para Snowboard Championships in February received funding, as did Kamloops IIHF World Women's Ice Hockey Championships last March.

The province expects the Rockin' River Music Fest will generate $3 million in economic activity in Merritt, as 90 per cent of attendees come from outside the Nicola Valley.

This will be the third year the festival has been held in Merritt since moving from Mission in 2015. The Merritt Mountain Music Festival, which once boasted crowds of 150,000 people, was held in Merritt for 18 years before being cancelled in 2012.