Boots in the Park brand heading to Long Beach
Lee Brice, Chris Janson and more will offer country with an ocean view
Embracing the ocean breeze and the sunny energy of Long Beach, Boots in the Park is set to mark its debut at the Queen Mary festival grounds on March 23.
What began as a gathering for country music lovers at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco in 2018 has evolved into a traveling music festival, weaving its way across California and beyond. From Bakersfield, Fresno, San Diego and Santa Clarita in California to Tempe, Arizona, Boots in the Park has planted its roots wherever “country music is needed,” festival producer Steve Thacher of Activated Events said during a recent phone interview leading up to the inaugural run in Long Beach.
“There’s been a great pull for us to bring more of our events to the city of Long Beach for quite some time and especially the past few years, and for whatever reason, the stars aligned, the day aligned and now we’re here,” Thacher added.
The event will feature headliner
Lee Brice with support from Chris Janson, LoCash, Leaving Austin, Heidi Merrill and DJ Luwiss Lux. Boots in the Park Long Beach comes on the heels of another Activated Events Long Beach event, Coastal Country Jam, which debuted in the area in September. The two-day event had Blake Shelton and Tim McGraw and drew fans from all over Southern California and beyond. For Thacher and the Activated Events team, the Coastal Country Jam’s success served as both validation and inspiration, prompting the expansion of the Boots in the Park brand.
After meticulously tracking the origins of attendees of more than 100 Activated Events productions over the past few years, Thacher said, Long Beach consistently topped the list in terms of resident turnout.
“Once we realized that, it just was a no-brainer,” he said.
It was imperative that Boots in the Park’s debut in Long Beach would distinguish itself from previous iterations, and Thacher also noted the downsizing of the festival.
“If fans are already seasoned Boots in the Park attendees, a major difference will be the smaller production and smaller footprint, but they gain spectacular ocean views along the water while enjoying great acts,” he said. “Not only that, but we made sure to make the tickets affordable for everyone to come and enjoy. Sure, we’ve had events by the water or close to it, but there’s something unique about this setting and I think fans are going to experience something new with this one.”
Last year, Activated Events held Boots in the Park at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco in March. It returned to Norco on Saturday with Thomas Rhett alongside Jordan Davis, Mitchell Tenpenny, Parmalee and more. As Activated Events gears up for a new season, attendees can anticipate fresh Instagram-worthy photo ops, lively line dancing, a diverse array of food trucks and beer vendors scattered throughout the festival grounds.
The team envisions this as just the beginning of bringing the Boots in the Park experience to Long Beach, seeing it as the ideal coastal counterpart.
“I honestly think it’s something we’ll be bringing back annually,” Thacher said. “It already feels like a natural fit for us. Coastal Country Jam was Step 1, Boots in the Park is Step 2, and we have some other exciting events up our sleeve that will be announced soon. We’re eager to offer more unforgettable experiences by the Pacific Ocean.”