OXFORD – It’ll be nothing like when the Grateful Dead came to town, but promoters of an Aug. 27 country music concert at the Oxford County Fairgrounds are hoping for a big crowd.

“We need at least 2,500 people to break even,” Rupert Grover told selectmen Thursday when the board granted him permission to sell beer and food at the concert.

Oxford’s mass gathering ordinance allows crowds of up to 8,000. The high number reflects the Oxford Plains Speedway, which draws big crowds for major races and was once used for rock concerts, including an appearance by the Grateful Dead in the 1980s that drew tens of thousands.

For the Aug. 27 concert, Rupert and Suzanne Grover, and Buddy and Becky Burke have put up the money to book a highly successful country music touring band, the Honky Tonk Tailgate Party. The band’s four members, Rhett Akins, Chad Brock, David Kersh and Daryle Singletary, have each had hit singles and albums.

Also to perform Aug. 27 will be Billy Arnold and Danielle Nations, who are managed by Jodie Dayne, who grew up in Rumford but now lives in Nashville.

The Honky Tonk Tailgate Party’s Web site describes their concerts as “a high energy, 90-minute concert featuring four chart-topping country artists on one stage performing their hit songs.”

The artists will use one band to reduce down time between sets.

Akins, Singletary and Carson launched the Tailgate Party tour in February 2001. New to the tour this year is Kersh, who was nominated for Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music.

The event will be held from 6 to 11 p.m., rain or shine. Advance tickets, at $22 each, are available at Ticketmaster outlets, including Bull Moose Records and Filene’s stores. Tickets are $30 the day of the concert.

Tickets may also be purchased by calling 775-3331, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.