During 1998/1999 street unrest and sectarian clashes in Portadown Town Centre on Saturday afternoons were common place. Much negative publicity was generated and the image of Portadown was tarnished.

Mervyn Carrick, then Mayor of Craigavon, was determined to address the deteriorating sectarian environment and using his community development connections enlisted the help of the Birches Community Association and the Birches Vintage and Classic Car Club.

Having gained experience in promoting vintage rallies and developing projects in the rural area the Mayor invited members of BCA & BVCCC to stage a vintage rally in the Centre of Portadown with a view to squeezing out the unruly sectarian element.

In face of much scepticism an organising committee set about the daunting task of giving Portadown town centre a rural transplant on the third Saturday in September 1999 and thanks to the hard work of many rural volunteers and the financial backing of Craigavon Borough Council a rural culture festival was born.

 The original concept of a vintage rally in an urban setting has evolved into a massive rural culture festival with hundreds of participants displaying vintage exhibits, demonstrating old rural crafts and cultural heritage.

In addition live animals - horses, sheep, cattle, pigs and poultry - provide an exciting attraction for upwards of 30,000 people who throng the town centre.
The country scene is further embellished with the provision of live country music throughout the town creating an ideal atmosphere for young and old alike irrespective of class or creed to mingle in a non-threatening environment.

Country Comes To Town has now assumed a life of its own and has established itself as a flagship event in Craigavon and a much acclaimed family orientated event in the Northern Ireland calendar of prestigious festivals.

In the words of Mervyn Elder Chairman of the Northern Ireland Event Co Ltd, one of the Event's main financial sponsors,
"Country Comes To Town has grown from a local community event to a national spectacular. The event demonstrates perfectly the role of cultural tourism in Northern Ireland and also what can develop from a home grown event in a short number of years".

Country Comes To Town is now synonymous with Portadown and represents the true image of a prosperous and peaceful community at ease with itself ensuring that all roads lead to Portadown in the third week of September each year.