Kansas’ largest country music festival on Monday announced it was moving to its third location in 27 years.
Following 24 years at Tuttle Creek State Park in Manhattan, Country Stampede moved to Topeka’s Heartland Motorsports Park in 2019. The music festival is moving to Azura Amphitheater in Bonner Springs June 27-29.
“The Country Stampede will keep its roots in the State of Kansas while moving closer to the Kansas City metro area,” Country Stampede officials wrote in a social media post. “This will provide a great opportunity to introduce new fans to the festival who haven’t had the opportunity to travel to its previous locations.”
Festival organizers in July said they were seeking a new home for Country Stampede. Manhattan was one of the cities that vied for it.
“Country Stampede is a unique and important part of Manhattan’s history,” the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce said in August. “... We will be working with our regional partners including the city of Manhattan and Tuttle Creek State Park officials to determine how we develop the best Manhattan response to this opportunity.”
Stampede officials said Monday Bonner Springs was the best option.
“We are thankful to all of the municipalities and venues that inquired about hosting the event in their communities, but overall found Azura Amphitheater to provide the best fit.”
Along with relocating, Country Stampede announced changes to the format of the festival. For several years in The Little Apple, the music festival comprised four days of music, food and camping.
Country Stampede reformatted to three days with three headliners in 2016. The festival will now showcase a “Kick-Off Party” the opening day and then two days of performers on the main stage.
The kick-off party is on a smaller stage that’s separate from the main stage.” In 2023, the party included artists who performed during the middle of the day and late at night following headliners.
The 2023 main stage headliners included Hardy (Michael Wilson Hardy), Lee Brice and Cody Johnson. Artists for 2024 have not been released yet.
Artists such as Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire and Taylor Swift performed at Country Stampede when it was in Manhattan. Musicians Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen have all performed in Topeka.
Country Stampede told fans in late July that the music festival would be moving following a court battle the Heartland property owner, Shelby Development, lost an appraisal dispute against Shawnee County.
