How Boots in the Park Differentiates Itself in the Crowded Country Festival Market
Ahead of the festival's Santa Clarita, Calif., edition on Saturday (May 10), Activated Events' Steve Thacher discusses why his scaled-down model appeals to live music fans.
The festival business has struggled to find its footing this summer, but one production company is finding success in the festival space with a new strategy: smaller, lighter footprint events.
Tomorrow, Activated Events will open its sixth Boots in the Park festival for 2025 in Santa Clarita, Calif., with Old Dominion headlining and support from Nate Smith, Josh Ross, Mackenzie Porter, Noah Rinker and more. The one-day festival combines food, beverage and live music, with a price tag of $59 for general admission (GA) when tickets first go on sale in January, with the price steadily climbing as the event gets closer (GA tickets are currently priced at $119, with VIP tickets going for $255.)
The Boots in the Park brand is the culmination of Activated Events president Steve Thacher‘s decade-plus in the music business, first with the launch of Wet Electric in 2010 — a Las Vegas-style dance and electronic show held at waterslide parks in the southwest. That evolved into the launch of Coastal Country Jam in Huntington Beach, Calif., and then Boots in the Park starting in 2017.
“Our festivals are more boutique than some of the other major country and mainstream festivals,” Thacher tells Billboard. Indeed, Boots in the Park events range in size from 10,000 to 20,000 and don’t include camping or overnight visitors.
In 2025, Activated will host Boots in the Park festivals in Bakersfield, Calif.; San Diego; Las Vegas; Fresno, Calif.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Tucson, Ariz. Thacher notes that Activated works closely with city leaders to create “a more intimate and personalized experience than some of the larger festivals.”
“Our fans love that they can enjoy 10 hours of some of the best country music and still sleep in their own beds at the end of the evening,” Thacher tells Billboard, noting that Boots in the Park’s California festivals all take place one to two months after the massive Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, Calif., that’s regularly attended by more than 80,000 fans.
“We think there is a place for both boutique festivals as well as large festivals to exist in the same market,” Thacher says. “The benefits of being an independent festival producer has allowed my team and I to really know our events, brands, and customers extremely well. It also allows our creative side to come out. When we come up with a fun idea, whether it be a new art installation, a fun festival activity, discover a new venue or curating amazing lineups, we get to have fun letting our creativity run wild.”
Being independent, however, does come with its challenges, especially when it comes to booking talent and competing against the big corporate promoters with much larger budgets.
“Fortunately, all of the artists that have played our festivals appreciate the level of production, hospitality and full houses of fans,” says Thacher. “This has made the country artists want to come back and continually play Boots In The Park, Coastal Country Jam and The Smoke Show. “We have developed the trust and respect of the artists, management and agents in Nashville and they feel confident that the artist will be well looked after when they play our events.”
One of the keys to their festivals’ success, Thacher explains, is making sure fans feel like they’re getting a good value for the money they spend on tickets.
“Boots In The Park is more than just a music festival, it’s a full day of immersive experiences. Beyond the incredible live performances, fans can jump into line dancing lessons, sample a variety of 101 unique whiskeys at our curated tastings, and compete in cornhole tournaments for a chance to win exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities with the artists,” he says. “The event also features interactive art installations that add a creative and memorable touch, making it a well-rounded celebration of music, culture and community.”
Boots in the Park takes place this Saturday in Santa Clarita. For more, visit bootsinthepark.com.
