From coast to coast, there’s a festival for everyone, boasting the biggest names in the format, from hot contemporary stars to classic country legends. But don’t forget, these festivals are also a great opportunity to meet and hear some of the brightest up-and-coming local, regional and national talent, so get there early.
And check, check, then triple-check that you have your tickets, credentials AND CAMERA! You won’t want to miss one bit of the action or that once-in-a-lifetime photo op with Keith Urban.
PLEASE NOTE:
Prices noted include single-day and multiple-day admission for music. Check festival websites for pricing.
The 2016 Nash Country Daily Guide to the Essential Country Music Festivals
Jump to JAN. – FEB. – MARCH – APRIL – MAY – JUNE – JULY – AUG. – SEPT. |
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When | What, Where, Wallet | Who & What’s Up | |
JAN. | |||
15–17 | 30A Songwriters Festival Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. $60+ 30asongwritersfestival.com |
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16–23 | The Country Music Cruise Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman $1,975+ countrymusiccruise.com |
![]() Vince Gill, Charley Pride, The Oak Ridge Boys, Brenda Lee, Lee Greenwood, Tanya Tucker, Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley, Dailey & Vincent, Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, Wade Hayes, Jo-El Sonnier, Sylvia, Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys and Grand Ole Opry at Sea – A Very Special Performance Event |
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22–26 | Crash My Playa Riviera Maya, Mexico $1,868.75+ crashmyplaya.com |
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27–31 | Castaway with Southern Ground Riviera Maya, Mexico $1,699+ zbbcastaway.com |
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30 | Southern Jam 2016 Boca Raton, Fla. $77.87+ musicjamproductions.com |
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31–FEB. 7 | Cayamo: A Journey Through Song Miami, St. Maarten, Tortola $958+ cayamo.com |
![]() This year’s ship is fully booked, but there is a waiting list. |
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FEB. | |||
7–11 | The Outlaw Country Cruise Miami, Grand Cayman $488+ outlawcountrycruise.com |
![]() This year’s ship is fully booked, but there is a waiting list. |
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MARCH | |||
1–20 | Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Houston, Texas $18+ rodeohouston.com |
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3–13 | Florida Strawberry Festival Plant City, Fla. $15+ flstrawberryfestival.com |
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11–13 | CMC Rocks QLD 2016 Willowbank, Queensland, Australia $79+ cmcrocks.com |
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APRIL | |||
1–3 | ACM Party For a Cause Festival Las Vegas $175+ acmcountry.com/pfac16-lineup |
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7–9 | SpringJam Panama City Beach, Fla. $59+ springjampcb.com |
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7–10 | Country Thunder Arizona Florence, Ariz. $160+ countrythunder.com |
![]() Get your summer partying off to an early start. |
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15–17 | Tortuga Music Festival Fort Lauderdale, Fla. $199+ tortugamusicfestival.com |
![]() A portion of the proceeds goes directly to Conservation Village, an organization that works to ensure ocean conservation and sustainable fishing. |
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18–23 | Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival Stephenville, Texas $199+ larryjoetaylor.com |
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27–30 | Suwanee River Jam Live Oak, Fla. $45+ suwanneeriverjam.com |
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29–May 1 | Las Cruces Country Music Festival Las Cruces, N.M. $10+ lascrucescountrymusic.com |
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29–May 1 | Stagecoach Festival Indio, Calif. $299+ stagecoachfestival.com |
![]() Now in its tenth year of existence, the Stagecoach Festival (from the people behind Coachella) has one of the most eclectic lineups of major country stars and Americana/roots favorites. |
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MAY | |||
4–8 | Key West Songwriter’s Festival Key West, Fla. FREE+ keywestsongwritersfestival.com |
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26–29 | Tree Town Music Festival Forest City, Iowa $155+ treetownfestival.com |
![]() No surprise that they love some country music in the Heartland, and this Iowa festival brings the top-tier talent as well as the hottest rising stars. |
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27–29 | Bayou Country Superfest Baton Rouge, La. $33+ bayoucountrysuperfest.com |
![]() You don’t have to wear your purple and gold to attend this massive Memorial Day weekend festival at LSU Tiger Stadium; you just have to be ready to let them bon temps roll. |
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27–29 | Country 500: The Great American Music Fest at Daytona Daytona Beach, Fla. $199+ daytonainternationalspeedway.com |
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JUNE | |||
3–4 | Rock the South Cullman, Ala. $49+ rockthesouth.com |
![]() The festival started in 2012 as a way to celebrate recovery and rebuilding after a tornado “rocked” the area in 2011. In 2014, more than $50,000 was raised for local charities. |
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3–5 | Country Summer Santa Rosa, Calif. $69+ countrysummer.com |
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9–11 | Blue Ox Music Festival Eau Claire, Wis. $130+ blueoxmusicfestival.com |
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9–12 | Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Manchester, Tenn. $324.50+ bonnaroo.com |
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9–12 | CMA Music Festival Nashville $0+ cmaworld.com/cma-music-festival |
![]() For an immersive country music experience like no other, downtown Nashville is the place to be in June. |
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10–12 | Carolina Country Music Fest Myrtle Beach, S.C. $159+ carolinacountrymusicfest.com |
![]() Pack your sunscreen and flip-flops—the $6.4 million Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is the place to be for the inaugural Carolina Country Music Festival. |
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10–12 | Taste of Country Music Festival Hunter Mountain, N.Y. $165+ tasteofcountryfestival.com |
![]() Going into its fourth year, this festival has a wide range of attractions and camping options for the country music fan. |
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14–18 | Country USA Oshkosh Oshkosh, Wis. $129+ countryusaoshkosh.com |
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16–18 | Bighorn Country USA Camping & Music Festival Sheridan, Wyo. $59+ bighorncountryusa.com |
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16–19 | Country Fest Cadott, Wis. $50+ countryfest.com |
![]() Wisconsin country fans have numerous festival options in the month of June, and this one combines superstar acts with local favorites playing on side stages. |
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17–18 | Moondance Jammin Country Fest Walker, Minn. $100+ jammincountry.com |
![]() For those who want to get the good times off to an early start, check out the pre-Jam party the night before. Details on the website. |
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CANCELLED Feb. 8 | 17–19 | FarmBorough Randall’s Island, New York City $225+ farmboroughfestival.com |
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17–19 | Windy City LakeShake Chicago $199+ lakeshakefestival.com |
![]() It’s the city’s only major country music festival, set against the backdrop of the great Chicago skyline. |
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23–25 | Kicker Country Stampede Manhattan, Kan. $130+ countrystampede.com |
![]() More than 170,000 people attended the 2014 edition of this festival, held at Tuttle Creek State Park, within a day’s driving distance of Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City. |
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CANCELLED Feb. 8 | 24–26 | Big Barrel Country Music Festival The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. $149+ bigbarrel.com |
![]() You’ll be jamming and dancing at the Dover International Speedway, a regular stop on the NASCAR circuit. |
29–JULY 3 & JULY 5–10 | SummerFest Milwaukee $13+ summerfest.com |
![]() The Guinness-certified World’s Largest Music Festival spans 11 days, incorporates more than 800 acts and features attendees from 40-plus countries. |
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30–JULY 3 | Dauphin’s Countryfest Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada $179+ countryfest.ca |
![]() Besides outstanding music, the festival offers contests and activities with cool prizes for winners. Kids ages 3–12 get in free when accompanied by an adult. |
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30–JULY 2 | Jam In the Valley Varysburg, N.Y. $25+ jaminthevalley.com |
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JULY | |||
CANCELLED March 24 | 1–3 | Dega Jam – Talladega Superspeedway Lincoln, Ala. $179+ degajam.com |
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7–9 | Country Concert Fort Loramie, Ohio $79+ countryconcert.com |
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7–10 | Hodag Country Festival Rhinelander, Wis. $70+ hodag.com |
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8–10 | Cavendish Beach Music Festival Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada $70+ CavendishBeachMusic.com |
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14 | Calgary Stampede Calgary, Alberta, Canada $60+ (concerts only) calgarystampede.com |
![]() This is a full-fledged rodeo and concert event, much like Houston Rodeo or NFR in the stages, with all of the cowbells and whistles, held at the namesake Stampede Park. |
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14–17 | Jamboree in the Hills Morristown, Ohio $70+ jamboreeinthehills.com |
![]() This long-running country festival is nestled near Wheeling, W.Va., and Pittsburgh and includes the free-for-all Redneck Run to grab the best seats, so bring your sneakers. |
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15–17 | Faster Horses Brooklyn, Mich. $199+ fasterhorsesfestival.com |
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15–17 | Windy City Smokeout Chicago $110+ windycitysmokeout.com |
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21–23 | Country Jam Wisconsin Eau Claire, Wis. $95+ countryjamwi.com |
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21–23 | Night In the Country Yerington, Nev. $85+ nightinthecountry.org |
![]() Nevada’s longest-running Country Music Festival, held away from the big city lights under the beautiful Nevada sky. 100% of proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley. |
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21–24 | Country Thunder Wisconsin Twin Lakes, Wis. $160+ countrythunder.com |
![]() If you couldn’t make the earlier Country Thunder, you have another chance to experience the fun and magic in this beautiful setting. |
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23 | Lost Highway San Manuel Ampitheater, San Bernardino, Calif. $?+ losthighwayfest.com |
![]() Full festival with multiple stages, motorcycle shows, massive vendor village, beer garden, etc. Kids under 10 Free with Festival General Admission Ticket |
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29–31 | Cape Blanco Sixes, Ore. $130+ capeblancofestival.com |
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29–31 | Oregon Jamboree Sweet Home, Ore. $140+ oregonjamboree.com |
![]() The 21-year-old Jamboree is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, with camping available for attendees and fishing, hunting, rock climbing and more within reach. That is, if you can pull yourself away from the music. |
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29–31 | Watershed Music and Camping Festival (see Sep. 5–7 info) George, Wash. $199+ watershedfest.com |
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AUG. | |||
4–6 | Country on the River Prairie du Chien, Wis. $99+ countryontheriverwisconsin.com |
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4–6 | WE Fest Detroit Lakes, Minn. $139+ wefest.com |
![]() Head to Detroit Lakes in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes (get directions) for this 30-year-old gathering, possibly country music’s northernmost festival in the United States. |
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4–7 | Boots and Hearts Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada $249+ bootsandhearts.com |
![]() Billed as the largest country festival in Canada, Boots and Hearts combines established superstars with exciting new talents and regional favorites. |
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5–7 | Watershed Music and Camping Festival (see Aug. 29–31 info) George, Wash. $199+ watershedfest.com |
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12–14 | Willamette Country Music Festival Brownsville, Ore. $130+ willamettecountrymusicfestival.com |
![]() Nestled between Eugene and Salem, Brownsville, Ore., also served as the setting for the fictional town in the film Stand by Me. |
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19–21 | Country Thunder Alberta Prairie Winds Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada $190+ countrythunder.com |
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SEPT. | |||
2–4 | Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam Panama City Beach, Fla. $129+ gulfcoastjam.com |
![]() The Jam might be your last chance to party for the summer, as it takes place Labor Day weekend. |
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20–25 | Americana Music Festival & Conference Nashville, Tenn. $30+ americanamusic.org/about-festival |
![]() For four nights, September 20–25, the Americana Music Festival will feature approximately 180 live performances at over nine music venues in the vicinity of downtown Nashville. |
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22–24 | Medicine Stone Tahlequah, Okla. $40+ medicinestoneok.com |
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24–25 | Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Franklin, Tenn. $92+ pilgrimagefestival.com |
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30–OCT 2 | Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival Columbia, Mo. $89+ rootsnbluesnbbq.com |
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30–OCT. 2 | Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival Las Vegas $210+ rt91harvest.com |
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