No matter the city or terrain, country music fans unite for food, tunes and multiday fun. Here are six of the best locations for getting their country fix.
iHeart Country festival has quickly become one of Austin’s must-attend events. This year’s festivities featured music icons like Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town and Morgan Wallen among many others.
Heartland Stampede
The Heartland Stampede music festival is a multi-day event that showcases country artists. This multi-day event draws from both local and international talent to provide entertainment to its attendees, along with food and beverage options that cater specifically to country music fans. Furthermore, its welcoming environment fosters friendship among attendees.
The 2022 Heartland Stampede will take place July 13-15th at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka and feature over 20 country music stars and bands, providing attendees with an opportunity to meet new people while listening to incredible music. Volunteering at this festival provides another great way to meet people while giving back while having a good time at once!
This year’s festival promises to be even bigger and better than before, featuring country superstars Luke Combs and Old Dominion alongside Morgan Wallen, Gabby Barrett, Kentucky Headhunters and other performers from local and national talent.
In previous years, this festival has offered a diverse selection of food vendors and breweries as well as family-friendly activities to appeal to people of all ages. Furthermore, its large outdoor space makes for the ideal space for relaxing, dancing and socializing among friends.
If you plan to attend this event, make sure you bring some essentials with you for your trip. Make sure you bring bug spray and sunscreen, hydrate regularly and lock up your RV according to any curfews set by your campsite. Also bring along a refillable water bottle so you can replenish your supply at one of the onsite water stations.
Watershed
A watershed is defined as any area of land that drains into a river, lake or other body of water and includes all land in its drainage area, whether forests or farms. Watersheds contain physical-biological features as well as social and economic characteristics which must be integrated into planning and management practices for effective results.
If a stream in your backyard becomes polluted with fertilizer, chemicals, pesticides, oil, bacteria or trash, everyone in its watershed has an obligation to ensure it remains clear. That’s why many communities adopt watershed-based stewardship initiatives as a way of safeguarding local water sources – these initiatives often include stream cleanups and habitat restoration efforts as well as soil health initiatives, urban water conservation strategies, rain gardens or wetlands restoration as well as environmental education activities.
The watershed approach allows agencies to focus resources and work closely with citizens on addressing the most urgent water-related problems. It helps balance point source pollution with protecting drinking water sources and other sensitive natural resources like wetlands.
Healthy watersheds provide numerous economic and human benefits in addition to protecting water quality. Recreational activities centered on healthy waters generate over $646 billion each year in sales, creating over 6.1 million jobs (Outdoor Industry Association). Home values in communities with healthy watersheds tend to be higher than in those near degraded ecosystems or impaired waters (Home Value Index).
NRCS partners with farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and other landowners to implement conservation practices on working lands. These practices reduce erosion, improve soil health and water filtration rates as well as wildlife habitat enhancement. They help prevent climate change impacts like floods as well as drought management as well as increase opportunities for tourism, fishing, forestry, agriculture or household freshwater use.
Country Jam USA
Country Jam USA is an annual three-day music festival held in Eau Claire, WI every July that brings some of the country’s greatest acts to Eau Claire, WI. Its lineup boasts top artists as well as up-and-coming acts; past performers have included Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum and Florida Georgia Line as major names. Alongside concerts there are also plenty of activities offered such as camping in the woods or lakeshore or playing volleyball or chilling out in one of several saloon bars!
Tickets to the festival come in multiple tiers, from single-day passes and VIP packages with VIP seating to more luxurious offerings such as private hospitality lounges. For added convenience, the festival website provides extensive details regarding schedule and pricing information as well as discounts available to students, veterans, as well as special ADA-accessible viewing areas.
Eau Claire is an idyllic riverside city known for its rich musical tradition, drawing large crowds to Eau Claire Riverfront Festival every year. This event draws crowds from throughout the Midwest and brings fans and musicians of various backgrounds together to enjoy country music together. Headliners in 2024 include HARDY, Brothers Osborne and Thomas Rhett as headliners; there will also be side stages featuring up-and-coming acts.
Camping is an iconic Country Jam activity, and there is an array of RV parks offering full hookups and swimming pools nearby. Plus there’s even a shuttle that will transport attendees directly from their RV parks to the festival grounds! If camping out this year, make sure you bring along tent, ear protection, and bug spray.
If you’re planning to attend Country Jam, it is essential that you know it’s family-friendly with plenty of activities for kids and adults alike. Be sure to bring along food and drinks from home, as vendors at the festival can be expensive; by having access to water supplies throughout the weekend you will save both time and money by keeping hydrated with what may otherwise become dehydration issues.
Country Thunder
Country Thunder, held annually at Canyon Moon Ranch near Florence, Arizona features top country artists with popular food court staples such as Jimbo’s Texas barbecue. This annual festival draws thousands of fans each year and is well known for its long lines – but key changes have made navigating it much simpler for fans.
Country Thunder’s site is beautiful – help us keep it that way! Be sure to bring trash bags and dispose of all garbage in the large dumpsters located at the end of each camping row. Otherwise, a fine of up to $300 and your renewal rights could be suspended if your campsites remain disorganized.
An enormous tent on the east side of the concert bowl features a nightclub-like area which hosts line dance lessons and competitions as well as operating as a nightclub after headliners have completed their sets. Furthermore, performers can be found performing throughout other locations of the venue beyond its main stages, and many rides and rodeos offer visitors respite from musical entertainment.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2022 Country Thunder Arizona edition, featuring acts such as Blake Shelton and Morgan Wallen as headliners, along with Jon Pardi, Cody Johnson and Florida Georgia Line as other top performers. The event runs April 13-16 with concerts taking place at Twin Lakes and Canyon Moon Ranch campground. It marks its sixth edition so far and has previously hosted Jason Aldean and Keith Urban as previous headliners.