Downtown Hoedown

Downtown Hoedown

Second weekend in MayThe Downtown Hoedown is a three-day celebration of country music held annually on the second weekend of May in Detroit, Mich. Since it began as a one-day, outdoor concert in 1983, the Hoedown has become one of the largest events of its kind in the United States and as of 2008 was known as the "World's Largest Free Country Music Concert."
The Hoedown is hosted and sponsored by radio station 99.5 FM WYCD and is considered a premier showcase for new country artists. Among those who have risen to fame after playing at the Hoedown are Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, and Josh Turner. Musical acts perform on multiple stages Friday through Sunday in a riverfront setting at Hart Plaza, a park along the Detroit River, which borders Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Local artists start the show at noon and such Nashville stars as Trace Adkins, Josh Gracin, and Trisha Yearwood headline the show in the evening. In addition to music and dancing, the festival offers food and beverage vendors, mechanical bull rides, and a shopping area. Estimated attendance for the three-day weekend is between 800,000 and one million.
CONTACTS:
Downtown Hoedown
c/o 99.5 WYCD
26555 Evergreen Rd., Ste. 675
Southfield, MI 48076
248-799-0600; fax: 248-358-9216
www.wycd.com