Country Music Festivals Hit High Season >> Tour dates and concert ticket info >> LiveDaily

Country Music Festivals Hit High Season

Published May 5, 2000 05:42 PM

By Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen / liveDaily Contributing Writers

Big country music names like Brooks & Dunn [ tickets ], Dwight Yoakam and Martina McBride [ tickets ]--as well as a healthy helping of artists who hope to gain exposure to a diverse audience and attract new fans--will take the stage at various major country music festivals in North America this summer.

“Due to the nature of a festival, where there are a lot of diverse people and a lot of acts, the fans might not be aware of our client," said manager Brenna Davenport-Leigh of Nashville-based Titley-Spalding and Associates, a company with a client list that includes Brooks & Dunn and Kathy Mattea. "They're not just coming to see one of our clients, and it's a great way to expose baby acts to new fans."

Besides offering music, many of the events feature on-site camping facilities and activities. Among the many festivals that allow camping are Country Thunder USA, the Route 66 Country Music Festival, and the Merritt Mountain Music Festival.

Country Thunder USA stages events in Queen Creek, Ariz. and Twin Lakes, Wis., which are entering their seventh and eighth years, respectively. The festivals offer music talent and camping grounds, as well as a child-friendly area called “Country Kidsville." The Country Thunder events feature 150-plus arts and crafts boots, and a food court that features 17 restaurants.

At the third annual Route 66 Country Music Festival in Springfield, Mo., camping facilities are located a short walk from the main festival bowl. The facilities feature concessions and showers along with military obstacle courses and other amusements.

In Canada, the musical offerings at the 8th annual Merritt Mountain Music Festival are supplemented with helicopter sightseeing, logger sports exhibitions, the “Wild and Wacky Pentathlon,” a variety of food and craft concessions, songwriter workshops and showcases, fireworks, children's activities, contests and more.

Cheyenne Frontier Days features top county music names, a rodeo, a Western art show and sale, air shows by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, Native American art and culture, and free pancake breakfasts.

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]

Winstock Country Music and Camping Festival
Winsted, Minn.

June 9 - Diamond Rio, the Wilkinsons, Sherrie Austin, Chace Roberts Band
June 10 - Sawyer Brown, Bryan White, Merle Haggard, Mark Wills, Montgomery Gentry, Sons of the Desert, Janie Miller (tribute to Patsy Cline)

Porterfield Country Music Festival
Marinette, Wis.

June 15 -Doug Kershaw, Jo-El Sonnier, Mallory Haley, Chuck Johnson, JessHav'n Phun
June 16 - Patty Loveless, Joe Diffie, Ricochet, Ticket 2 Ride, City Limits, Elmer Z. Bushhog, Ricky Raybine & the Rays, Joey Jay
June 17 - Kenny Chesney, Lila McCann, the Wilkinsons, Daryle Singletary, Sherrie Austin, The Clark Experience, Mallory Haley
June 18 - Crystal Gayle, Ray Price, Gene Watson, Yankee Grey, Kitty Wells, Scott Hoff.

Route 66 Country Music Festival
Springfield, Missouri

June 16 - Joe Walsh, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Montgomery Gentry
June 17 - Styx, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Neal McCoy, Mindy McCready, McEuen & Ibotttson (founding members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), the Websters
June 18 - Dwight Yoakam, Foreigner, Little River Band, Rhett Akins, Keith Urban

Country Fest 2000
Cadott, Wis.

June 22 - Clint Black, Joe Dee Messina, Andy Griggs, Centrefire, Shadow Run
June 23 - Neal McCoy, Bryan White, Tim Rushlow, Chad Brock, the Lynns, Drywood Creek Band, Bennett Valley Gray Band
June 24 - Randy Travis, Clay Walker, Diamond Rio, John Berry, Jessica Andrews, BLACKJACK, the Smokin' Coyotes
June 25 - Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Oak Ridge Boys, Doug Stone, Mark Wills, Bear Creek Band, Jaime Decker and the South Prairie Band, Holy Rosary-Lima Polka Choir

Country Jam USA
Grand Junction, Colo.

Jun 22 - Dwight Yoakam, Styx, Kenny Chesney, Midnight Rider, Derringer
June 23 - Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, Sammy Kershaw, Brad Paisley, Rhett Atkins, Jerry Kilgore
June 24 - Foreigner, Sawyer Brown, Don McClean, Montgomery Gentry, Yankee Grey, tba
June 25 - Chris LeDoux, Collin Raye, Bellamy Brothers, Chely Wright, Andy Griggs

Countryfest 2000
Dauphin, Manitoba

June 30 - Billy Ray Cyrus, Paul Brandt, Patricia Conroy, Shirley Myers, Lace, The Warren Brothers
July 1 - Clint Black, Lonestar, Patty Loveless, Rick Tippe, Amanda Stott, Steve Fox, Eli Barsi, Return of the Writer's Circle
July 2 - Kenny Rogers, the Kinleys, Chely Wright, Tara Lynn Hart, Fred Eaglesmith, Sean Hogan, Kenny Shaw

Jamboree in the Hills 2000
Wheeling, W.Va.

July 13 - John Michael Montgomery, Brad Paisley, Lonestar, Randy Travis
July 14 - Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Allan, John Boy & Billy, Tim Wilson,
Montgomery Gentry, Weird Al Yankovic, Jo Dee Messina, Rodney Carrington
July 15 - Kenny Rogers, Bellamy Brothers, Alabama, The Beach Boys, George Jones, Kenny Chesney, Billy Ray Cyrus, Trailer Park Troubadours, 11/70
July 16 - Neal McCoy, Clint Black, Sammy Kershaw, Martina McBride, Mark Wills

Hodag Country Festival
Rhinelander, Wis.

July 13 - Doug Kershaw & Eddy Raven, Bayou Boys, Marty's Party
July 14 - Chely Wright, Ty Herndon, Neal McCoy
July 15 - Diamond Rio, Shane McAnally, Yankee Grey, Billy Dean, Suzy Bogguss, John Berry, The Wilkinsons, Lila McCann
July 16 - John Michael Montgomery, Wade Hayes, Jo Dee Messina, Tracy Byrd, Trace Adkins

Country Thunder USA 2000
Twin Lakes, Wis.

July 20 - Martina McBride, Chely Wright, Yankee Grey, Lace, Dr. Mark
July 21 - Sawyer Brown, Charlie Daniels, Sammy Kershaw, John Berry, Billy Dean & Suzy Bogguss, Harry Luge, Suzy Dobbs, J. Juliano
July 22 - Alabama, Neal McCoy, Terri Clark, Tracey Lawrence, Alicia Elliot, Rhett Akins
July 23 - Dwight Yoakam, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lonestar, Brad Paisley, The Wilkinsons, Vic Ferrari

Country Jam
Eau Claire, Wis.

July 20 - Jon Michael Montgomery, Kenny Chesney, Lee Ann Womack, Marshall Star Band, Midnight Rider
July 21 - Alabama, Lonestar, Terri Clark, Tracy Lawrence, Montgomery Gentry, Yankee Grey
July 22 - Dwight Yoakam, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris LeDoux, Sammy Kershaw, Chely Wright, Braid Paisley
July 23 - Sawyer Brown, Colin Raye, Trace Adkins, Billy Dean, Suzy Bogguss

Merritt Mountain Musicfest
Merritt, British Columbia

July 20 - Kentucky HeadHunters
July 21 - Brooks & Dunn, Julian Austin
July 22 - Randy Travis, Asleep at the Wheel, Michelle Wright
July 23 - Glen Campbell, Pam Tillis

Cheyenne Frontier Days
Cheyenne, Wyo.

July 21 - tba
July 22 - Styx plus one other act tba
July 23 - Randy Travis, Ty Herndon
July 24 - Tanya Tucker, Sammy Kershaw
July 25 - Neal McCoy, Ricochet
July 26 - The Charlie Daniels Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd
July 27 - tba
July 28 - John Michael Montgomery, Montgomery Gentry
July 29 - Terri Clark, Clint Black

Methow Valley Country Music Festival
Winthrop, Wash.

July 27 - Wylie and the Wild West, Souvenirs, Ranch Romance, The Rounders
July 28 - Gary Allan, Lace, Eric Heatherly, Buckaroo Blues Band, Terry Hardesty and the Eagle River Band, Peggy Ann Courtney; headliner tba

We Fest
Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Aug. 4 - John Michael Montgomery, Toby Keith, Chris Ledoux, Montgomery Gentry, the Lynns, Big House, Becky Schlegel and True Blue
Aug. 5 - Reba McEntire, Neal McCoy, Clark Family Experience, Lace, Blue Highway, Kruger Brothers
Aug. 6 - Kenny Rogers, Martina McBride, Berry, Bogguss & Dean, Lila McCann, Clark Family Experience

Havelock Country Jamboree
Havelock, Ont.

Aug. 17 - Bobby Bare, Valdy, Gary Fjellgaard, Fred J. Eaglesmith
Aug. 18 - Good Brothers, Ricky Skaggs, Blue Rodeo, Lisa Brokop, Jimmy Flynn, Kelly Vohnn, Marc Ekins
Aug. 19 - Matt Minglewood, Sammy Kershaw, Terri Clark, Gene Watson, Jimmy Flynn, John Landry, Foster Martin Band
Aug. 20 - Lace, Tommy Hunter, Mark LaForme

Country Jam
Live Oak, Fla.

Oct. 8 - Trisha Yearwood, Steve Wariner, Lee Ann Womack, John Berry, Lydia Miller, Dallas James & the James Gang, Ronny McKinley and the Suwannee River Band
Oct. 9 - Lorrie Morgan, Toby Keith, John Anderson, Cledus T. Judd, Shana Patrone, The Clark Family Experience