FILE - Boats appear on the water near the Miami Marine Stadium Basin in Biscayne Bay, Fla., on Jan. 19, 2023. The Country Bay Music Festival scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at the historic Miami Marine Stadium. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Republished March 14, 2023 - 2:13 PM
Original Publication Date March 14, 2023 - 1:26 PM
MIAMI (AP) — Already considered a hub for Latin, hip hop and electronic music, now Miami is going country.
Tickets for the Country Bay Music Festival went on sale Tuesday. The event is scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at the historic Miami Marine Stadium, just southeast of downtown on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay.
“With an incredible lineup of the top country music artists and a picturesque waterfront venue that has a long history of iconic country music shows, including Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Rogers among others, we are confident that Country Bay Music Festival will be a must-attend event for years to come," event organizer Tony Albelo said in a statement.
Headliners scheduled for the Country Bay Music Festival are Thomas Rhett, Sam Hunt, Chris Young, Lee Brice and Lainey Wilson. Other performers include Randy Houser, Chris Lane, LOCASH, Elle King, Restless Road, Blanco Brown, Josh Ross, Hailey Whitters, David J., Kat & Alex and Neon Union.
Besides hosting one of the largest country music events ever to hit Miami, the festival will include a country-themed bar, games, food, line dancing, a mechanical bull and a giant Ferris wheel. The festival will also give fans the opportunity to attend the event by boat or yacht with an anchorage access pass.
Virginia Key, the location of the Miami Marine Stadium, is a small barrier island in Biscayne Bay and connected to the Miami mainland by a single causeway. The limited access created transportation problems for the Ultra Music Festival when the electronic music event temporarily moved from Bayfront Park in downtown Miami to the Miami Marine Stadium in 2019.
The causeway that connects Virginia Key to the mainland also provides access to the island community of Key Biscayne, where officials at the time expressed concerns about safety, noise, traffic and the environment.
News from © The Associated Press, 2023