After the Big Country Bash festival left Water Works Park in 2011, local businessmen Grant Sheeder and Adam Faucher initiated Guthrie’s River Ruckus festival. Now back for its fourth edition in west-central Iowa, this annual country music event draws top country artists to a small town of 1,500 residents.
This year’s lineup features Toby Keith, Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols, and Granger Smith; tickets include admission to Adventureland theme park throughout both days of this event.
Toby Keith
Country singer Toby Keith will headline the 9th Annual Guthrie River Ruckus Music Festival, which is held annually in a small central Iowa town. This two-day outdoor music event boasts top country acts, including Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols, Clare Dunn, and Granger Smith, with campsites available ranging in cost from $65 up to $210! Campsites can also be reserved.
Tickets to this year’s festival start at $75 for general admission; VIP passes provide closer stage access, ten drink tickets, and designated restrooms. In addition, two more acts will be announced shortly.
Keith hails from Oklahoma and began his professional life as an oil worker before switching careers in the early 80s and turning his focus to music through Easy Money. Soon after that, he started performing in honky tonk venues across Texas and Oklahoma before appearing in several movies such as Broken Bridges and Beer for My Horses; additionally, he has made waves as an established restaurateur; Keith and Tricia share two children.
Dustin Lynch
The Ruckus is West-Central Iowa’s favorite country music festival and returns this year for its 11th edition at Guthrie County Fairgrounds along the Raccoon River. Boasting a huge lineup of country artists as well as camping facilities right on-site! Don’t miss this epic celebration!
Grant Sheeder promises KWMT that this year’s Ruckus will be bigger and better than ever, boasting an eclectic lineup that consists of new and classic acts alike, plus surprise appearances. Furthermore, there will be more daytime activities planned as well as a new ticket office location to look forward to.
The Ruckus has become an annual tradition since it was initiated by two college friends from Guthrie Center, Iowa, in 2011. Now, drawing more than 20,000 attendees each year to a town with only 1,507 people living there! In addition to Toby Keith and Dustin Lynch, this year’s lineup features Kip Moore, Diamond Rio, Ashley McBryde, Mitchell, Tenpenny, Joe Diffie LANCO, plus admission passes that include Adventureland! Plus, this year, they’re even adding a free stage for live music performances throughout the day!
Joe Nichols
Grant Sheeder and Adam Faucher’s Guthrie River Ruckus draws talented country music acts despite its remote location. Miranda Lambert will headline this year’s festival in July; Sheeder and Faucher expect her to draw large crowds even though she has not headlined an arena for some time now.
Nichols is an award-winning chart-topper who boasts six No. 1 hits to his credit, in addition to being a Grammy recipient and singer-songwriter. His 2002 song, “The Impossible,” was the top country song of the year and earned both the Country Music Association Horizon Award and Country Music Television New Artist of the Year awards.
Nichols may not have scored a top-10 single for some time now, but that hasn’t stopped him from producing exceptional albums. Good Day for Living marks his first since signing with Quartz Hill Records in early 2021 – making him an outstanding example of an aging country veteran refusing to allow his career to fade into irrelevancy while resisting meme-worthy ideas that dominate Nashville country music.
Clare Dunn
Guthrie River Ruckus returns for its ninth annual installment on July 28 and 29 to Iowa Fairgrounds in west-central Iowa. Country music acts Toby Keith, Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols, Clare Dunn, and Granger Smith will perform during this two-day festival just a short drive from Des Moines, with over 700 campsites available on site.
Clare Dunn hails from southeastern Colorado, where her life pre-Nashville could almost have been written as the story for a country song. Living on a ranch and farm while working cattle and hauling water for her dad to use in his agriculture business. From an early age, she practiced writing songs before eventually self-releasing an independent EP called Clare Dunn that led to more touring opportunities and, finally, Universal Music Nashville signing her.
She signed a record deal and has been working to build her presence within the industry. Last year, she co-wrote “Get Out,” which reached No. 15 on the Country Breakout chart and secured her one of SiriusXM’s Fresh Female Voices On The Highway program.
Granger Smith
Guthrie River Ruckus returns for its 15th year on the Raccoon River near Guthrie Center County fairgrounds! Featuring iconic country musicians as well as over 800 campsites on site!
Country music fans will get to experience several new artists this year at Grant Sheeder and Adam Faucher’s annual Country Fest from July 27-29 in Nashville. Attendance at last year’s record-setting numbers is anticipated.
Sheeder notes the lineup features both established stars and emerging talent; Jake Owen and LANCO, in particular, are sure to draw crowds this summer.
Granger Smith is an iconic country music crooner known for his many hits on the Country Airplay chart. Over 11 studio albums and one live album were released, in addition to acting and writing projects such as the Moonrise movie in 2022. Smith is married to Amber and has three sons – Lincoln, Maverick, and London, along with daughter London, an avid horseback rider himself who owns his business, Yee Yee Apparel.
