Country Thunder provides weekend of a lifetime

April’s Country Thunder music festival was a rollicking good time for country fans

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Kara Brown/Scottsdale Chronicle

The scene at Country Thunder in Florence, AZ. The four-day event brought excitement to fans of the country music genre, who turned out in droves to hear their favorite acts.

Kara Brown, Reporter

This year’s lineup for Country Thunder offered a thrilling and insightful experience that will live in fans’ memories for years to come.

From April 9-12 there was a party in the desert. Starting Wednesday night, lines of jacked-up trucks and RV’s flooded into the campsites of Florence.

“Country Thunder is an event that I plan to go back to for years to come,” ASU student Jessica Cameron said.

Once the tents were hitched and coolers were stocked, it was time to let the weekend begin.

One of country’s newest artists, Brett Eldredge, started the weekend off with his performance Thursday night.  He set the mood of the crowd with his happy-go-lucky personality and radiated nothing but good vibes, setting the bar high for the weekend’s remaining acts.

There were many favorites playing. One of the tops would be Blake Shelton. His performance was unlike any other due to his constant interactions with the audience. The country heartthrob brought day three of the festival to an all-time high, always encouraging the crowd with the help of his trusty red solo cup.

After the stages closed for the night, fans piled into the camping grounds where they continued to dance the night away at the various makeshift dance floors throughout the eight campsites.

The campsites weren’t just your average tent and sleeping bag. It was all about who had the bigger trucks, better set-up, and the best of times.

Not only did Country Thunder please people on an artistic level, but the festival also satisfied them with great food. The grounds hosted over 20 different food trucks, all fulfilling needs after a long day of rocking to the beat.

State Farm and many other businesses sponsored the festival, where they offered promotions and free merchandise to whoever visited the tents.

Scott Rolik from State Farm has attended Country Thunder for the past four years.

“It’s a great weekend to put everything on hold and just enjoy life,” Rolik said. “I love the music, I love the environment and I love the culture.”

This year’s lineup will be tough to top, but that has not stopped fans from already purchasing their tickets for next April. Campsites for next year are already completely sold out and tickets are going fast – even though the lineup doesn’t come out until Jan. 2016.

For more information, visit www.arizona.countrythunder.com