From Thursday to Saturday, Mission will welcome some of country music’s biggest names including Dwight Yoakam, Blue Rodeo, Randy Bachman. Maple Ridge’s One More Girl – Carly and Britt McKillip – perform on Saturday on the main stage at 7:30 p.m. The festival gets underway at the Mission Raceway Park on Thursday.

Other performers include Ridley Bent, Aaron Pritchett, The Higgins, 2010 Canadian Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year Victoria Banks, Karen Lee Batten, Kenny Hess, Brent Lee, Tyler Whelan, Todd Richards, Chris Buck Band, The Matinée, Shane Chisholm, and Stacey McKitrick.

“This year’s Rockin’ River is easily the biggest and best we’ve ever put together,” said Hess, the festival’s organizer and one of its performers. “The talent Rockin’ River Fest has this year promises festival goers one of the best times they’ll have all year … period.”

The Lower Mainland’s most-attended country music festival is bigger and better in 2012 with the event expanding from a two- to three-night-long event for the first time in its four-year history.

Rockin’ River Music Festival takes place from Aug. 9 to 11 at Mission Raceway Park (32670 Dyke Rd., Mission) and features some of B.C.’s best country talent in its lineup.

Rockin’ River Music Festival tickets and camping reservations — along with lineup information — are now available at www.rockinriverfest.com. For more information check out rockinriverfest.com, facebook.com/rockinriver, email info@rockinriver.com, or call the Rockin’ River Hotline at 604-733-2235.