Festivals now bring big country names to eager audiences

Walking the Floor by Chris O'Kelley We are headed into winter. It won’t be long. We will have cold weather; dark will come early and maybe we will get some snow. Then the new year will be here. Still, it’s not too early to start thinking about spring and summer – and one thing that goes with warm weather is country music festivals.  For many years, marquee music events were one-day stadium tour stops. George Strait started the trend in the 90s and early 2000s and would have artists like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and even Brooks and Dunn on the bill. Strait even filmed a few music videos live during these tours.  Kenny Chesney followed in the footsteps of George Strait and took his Jimmy Buffett-esque following into football stadiums across America. These dates proved so popular that people would show up the night before to start tailgating. Kenny has taken artists such as Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and Miranda Lambert out over the years.  Likewise, artists including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs all have made the move to stadiums.   Fast forward a few years, and now the big thing is the two- and three-day festival. You can purchase single day passes, tickets for the entire festival, and even VIP experiences. Most of these events include camping areas where you can pitch a tent or park a camper, making it home for the length of the festival.  Here are a few of this year’s country-focused festivals along with their dates:  Tortuga Music Festival  April 4th – 6th  Fort Lauderdale, Florida  Acts confirmed: Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Parker McCollum, & Megan Moroney  Stagecoach April 25th – 27th  Indio, California  Acts confirmed: Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, & Luke Combs  Carolina Country Music Fest  June 5th – 8th  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina  Acts confirmed: Jelly Roll, Kid Rock, Lainey Wilson, and Rascal Flatts   Morgan Wallen Presents: Sand In My Boots Festival  May 16th – 18th  Gulf Shores, Alabama  Acts confirmed: Morgan Wallen, Hardy, Ernest, Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn, Riley Green & More  Gulf Coast Jam  May 30th – June 1st  Panama City Beach Florida  Acts confirmed: Lainey Wilson, Sam Hunt, Tyler Childers, Sam Hunt & Blake Shelton  Rock The South  July 19th – 21  Cullman, Alabama  Acts confirmed: Hank Williams, Jr., Kid Rock, Nickelback & Clay Walker  Darius Rucker’s Riverfront Revival 2025  October 10th – 11th  River Front Park, Charleston, South Carolina  Acts confirmed: TBA  Luke Combs’ Bootleggers Bonfire Weekend  October 10th – 12th  Miramar Beach, Florida  Acts confirmed: TBA  Greenville Country Music Festival  October 18th – 20th  Greenville, South Carolina  Acts confirmed: TBA  Here are some other festivals that you may want to look into, further filling your travel, adventure, and country music bingo card in 2025.  Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa   Cancun, Mexico  Country Thunder USA   Florence, Arizona  CMA Country Music Fest  Nashville, Tennessee  Barefoot Country Music Fest   Wildwood, New Jersey  Buckeye Country SuperFest  Columbus, Ohio  Country Thunder Bristol   Bristol, Tennessee  Summerfest  Milwaukee, Wisconsin  Hodag Country Festival  Rhinelander, Wisconsin