By WIBW's Danielle Martin
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The largest country music festival will have fans filling Heartland Motorsports Park later this week.
We’re just days away from the 25th annual Kicker Country Stampede to take place at the Heartland Motorsports Park.
Thousands of country music fans will race into Heartland Motorsports Park this week.
“It’s had such a great upbringing. this is the 25th anniversary of the Kicker Country Stampede,” Travis Hilton said. “I think what makes it special is the community itself and being able to see everybody.”
Travis Hilton with Heartland Motorsports Park says country fans can expect a new set-up this year.
“One situation we were into back in 2019 was there was a lot of rainfall that came into the facility leading up to the week of the event. We made adjustments to that by relocating the main stage here center of the property,” Hilton explained.
“We now have 80+ percent of camping that’s available for the platinum gold and silver representatives - we’ll all be on asphalt or have grass nearby to be parking on. So we alleviated a lot of those issues by bringing into the main property that the watershed is a lot much more well-built to where the water will be able to drain a little easier,” Hilton added.
Plus, they have more spots for campers who want to drive in early.
“There’s rustic camping which is on the northwest side of our property. that’s available, that’s dry camping only. there are no hookups of any kind and those are still available,” Hilton said.
They’ve also improved roads and more than 30 generators will power the stage and other features around the grounds.
“The entire inside of the bowl here that we’re standing in, the festival bowl will be a line with vendors everything from kicker themselves,” Hilton described. “Budweiser’s been a phenomenal sponsor this entire ordeal and kinds of different, fun games and things for the kids and people to do when they’re out here.”
Hilton says you’ll also find transportation options, “for those worried about walking long distances, there’s a large variety of shuttle golf carts and vans will be transporting people around.”
“There are designated locations for everyone to go to and what they could see as far as where they might be able to get picked up. For everyone who possibly has had a drink or two when they’re out here - heaven forbid, we will also have pick up locations for all kinds of Lyft, Uber services on the outside of the property we can be able to get to that location to be picked up at any time.”
The Kicker Country Stampede runs Thursday through Sunday and campers are welcome to start parking starting Monday.
Also, weekend ticket holders for stampede can get into the Thunder Over The Heartland Air Show for free, which is Saturday and Sunday at Heartland park.
For more information, click here.