Heartland Festival to merge with summer concert series

kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com
“The Heartland Festival on steroids” is how Rik Hawkins described new changes to the festival that were revealed Tuesday.
The Elizabethtown-Hardin County Chamber of Commerce announced that the Heartland Festival and the City of Elizabethtown’s summer concert series would become one event next summer. The newly-merged event will be the first weekend of June, instead of the typical end-of-August date for the festival.
Chamber President Rik Hawkins said combining the two events “makes a great deal of sense.”
Hawkins said he and Elizabethtown City Councilman Kenny Lewis began discussing the idea of bringing the two events together in the spring. Hawkins said he knew the festival needed something to reinvigorate it. Lewis said he thought combining the festival with a music showcase would turn into an ideal fit.
Lewis didn’t announce who next year’s music act would be for the concert, but teased that it was going to be the greatest yet.
“It’s going to be the biggest and best people have ever seen in this area,” he said.
Past concert performers include Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Three Dog Night and REO Speedwagon. Hawkins said he expected a new date to be an improvement as well, with what should be better weather. Sonora Days, which typically is the first weekend of June, now is at the end of August, he said.
There still are some details left to be worked out, such as ticketing for the event, Hawkins said.
Hawkins also announced the date for next year’s Cruisin’ in the Heartland, which is a car show that took place in downtown Elizabethtown during the summer. Next year’s event will be July 30, and Hawkins said he expected this summer’s music act, The Monarchs, to be back, as well as Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours.
Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747.