OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A change in venue is in store for one of the area’s most anticipated entertainment events.
Rock the Country, a two-day music festival, will be held May 9-10 at the Florida Horse Park. In 2024, the event took place at Majestic Oaks in Reddick.
This year’s festival will feature multiple headliners from across the country. Kid Rock and Nickelback are the primary acts, with Hank Williams Jr., Tracy Lawrence, Jo Dee Messina, and more also scheduled to perform in Ocala.
“It brings in great brand awareness to our destination,” said Jessica Heller, marketing and communications supervisor for the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau, tourist development. “A lot of folks who haven’t heard from us before are attending the concert and visiting us for the first time and hopefully coming back and visiting us again.”
At the 2024 event, Rock the Country reported to the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau that 30,000 people attended each day, with more than 60,000 total over the weekend.
“The anticipated economic impact for the festival for the weekend this year is over $9.1 million, and that’s for our county specifically,” said Heller. “People are coming in, spending the night, going out to eat, buying gas, and doing all the things you might come in and do on vacation, finding transportation, and that’s all the ripple effect.”
Rock the Country’s management company will pay more than $100,000 to have the Marion County Fire and Rescue team on site during the event.
More news that matters to you…
-
352 WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST NOV. 13-15: Moving back into the 60s with no rain in sight
The National Weather Service says nights in the 40s, and North Central Florida is here for it.
-
352 WEEKEND TOP PICKS NOV. 13-15: Seasonal Fun
Enjoy a weekend full of seasonal fun with crafts fairs, markets and more.
-
Student arrested over school shooting threat at Fort King Middle School in Ocala
Yesterday’s report of a potential school shooting threat caused a significant disruption.
-
Marion County School Board approves $52.5 million Belleview Elementary replacement and $6.4 million HVAC project at Belleview Middle
The board authorized a new 950-student campus combining Belleview Elementary and Belleview-Santos Elementary, along with the first phase of a major cooling system upgrade at Belleview Middle School.
-
Marion County School Board approves modest raises for non-represented staff amid tight budgets and state funding shortfalls
The Marion County School Board approved roughly 1% raises for non-represented employees after discussing tight budgets, inflation, and more than $50 million in annual general-fund shortfalls for transportation and exceptional student education.