planned as a multi-genre rock show. It was hard to book the calibre of talent for that show, so Republic Live leaned on some relationships in country music and quickly switched to a country format. The first show was rainy, messy and awesome all at once, and every fan left with a smile and a ton of memories that they will never forget. The Boots and Hearts brand grew from the legacy of that crazy first year. We’ve really attracted an amazing, loyal fan base because of the quality of our experience. There is nothing like it in our market.” “There is a wonderful connection between country music fans and the camping festival experience, and we have provided an unparalleled roster of talent for our fans each year.” “For those who come before Thursday night, we feature our Emerging Artist Showcase on the main stage. Over the years, we have discovered hot new talent as part of our Showcase, including 2015 winners The James Barker Band who couldn’t be hotter right now. In addition to that, we have added the Boots and Hearts Beach Area with volleyball and other sur- prises to be unveiled at the Festival this August.” In 2015, Boots and Hearts officially relocated to its current home in Oro-Medonte. The Burl’s Creek Event Grounds features 600-plus acres of custom-designed festival space, Mr. Dunford explained. “We graded the land to form the concert bowls, laid miles and miles of sod, laid gravel on laneways to improve the camping experience, and renovat- ed a vintage 1920s barn to become the centerpiece of our VIP experience. There is a wonderful connection between country music fans and the camping festival experience, and we have provided an unparalleled roster of talent for our fans each year. We are fortunate to have built a loyal base of Boots and Hearts fans, and everything we do to prepare from one year to the next is designed to cater to the experience for those fans.” There’s even an on-site farmer’s market at Boots and Hearts, he said. The Coors Banquet Kick-Off Party featuring LoCash, Black- jack Billy, Devin Dawson, Jade Eagleson (and more) takes place on Thursday, August 9. Taking themainstage on Friday, August 10 is FloridaGeorgia Line and Dallas Smith – among others – followed by Alan Jackson and Billy Currington on Saturday, August 11, and Thomas Rhett and Brett Young on Sunday, August 12. By the time the final encore is played, a total of 38 headline bands will take the stage at Boots and Hearts – 11 more than last year! “Republic Live has a history of reinventing the experience each year,” Mr. Dunford continued.
“Live music is a tough business, and the festival business is even tougher,” Mr. Dunford explained. “Top artists are charging more and more for performances and charge their fees in U.S. dollars – even many of the top Canadian acts. There is significant competition for those artists. And, as a camping festival, we build a temporary weekend home for 40,000 people in a small rural community. Add to that the regulations, restrictions, safety considerations and bureau- cracy of operating our events, and there is a challenge around every corner. This is a huge planning, coordinat- ing, and execution challenge. We have built a great team of staff and critical vendors to manage the entire process.” Republic Live also produces the WayHome Music & Arts Festival in conjunction with Burl’s Creek Event Grounds Inc. In April 2017, WayHome took home Major Music Festival of the Year Award at the Canadian Music Week Industry Awards in Toronto. “Our business may be the single largest private music investment in Ontario in the last decade, and certainly one of the very largest tourism initiatives funded mainly private money. We believe in the live music business and have been proud supporters. All of our sponsors and vendors are important, and each contributes to the success of our events,” Mr. Dunford said. Bootsandhearts.com is worth a visit even if you can’t make it to Ontario’s Lake Country this August. The page has great interviews with headliners like Andrew Hyatt and Midland, camping tips and tricks, and a great article titled Boots 101: How to Pack. “While there will always be options for music fans, nothing can compare to the scope of the Boots and Hearts Music Festival.” For more information on the Boots and Hearts Music Festival https://bootsandhearts.com/ Ticket Prices: $119.99 CAD - $649.99 CAD
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Summerfest 2018
Rank : #2 (Previous: Top 10 ‘17 USA #1)
When: June 27 th - July 1 st and
July 3 rd – 8 th , 2018 Where: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Why: Well this amazing festival inspired by a trip to Okto- berfest in Munich, Germany has been happening for more than half a century, which tells this non-profit festival and board knows a thing or two about partnering with the right people to run a successful event.
Summerfest truly has something for everyone’s musical tastes with over 800 artists performing more than 1000
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