As gates to the festival opened at 1 p.m., country music fans were ready for the show, cold beer and cocktails and a whole lot of barbecue at Boots in the Park, held at SilverLakes Sports Complex in Norco on Saturday.
The single-day country music festival beat the rain, too. Although the weather was mildly chilly, with a partly cloudy and sunny sky overhead, it was suitable for fans to set up shop with lounge chairs and blankets as they waited to catch their favorite acts. Throughout the day, fans were also participating in a cornhole tournament, checking out a car show, taking free rides on the Ferris wheel and even line dancing.
No matter where you roamed on the sprawling festival grounds, the energy was playful and lighthearted.
“We’ve been coming to Boots in the Park for the past couple of years, and you just can’t beat the vibes here,” Stacey Moore, a festival goer who traveled from San Diego said as she and her partner were in line for Jell-O shots at the beer tent. “It’s why we always come back. Everyone is so friendly and relaxed, it’s awesome.”
As for the lineup, it’s the most diverse one yet, with country-meets-trap artist Blanco Brown and hip-hop veteran Flo Rida on the bill. Flo Rida had one of the most energetic sets of the fest as he skimmed through his catalog of hits, coming out with “Good Feeling,” “Right Round,” “Whistle” and “My House,” which got the crowd grooving and singing along, many swaying with a drink in hand.
The real action came when Flo Rida launched into “Low,” a club anthem that found the rapper jumping down into the crowd to give fans a sip of his Patron straight from the bottle.
“It’s not a Flo Rida party until we’re taking shots here, we’re trying to be on the same level tonight,” he shouted. And the crowd seemed to agree as some fans took a shot — or two —and could be seen on the big screens laughing and smiling.
With his 2011 hit, “Where Them Girls At,” a collaboration with David Guetta and Nicki Minaj, he stopped midway through and asked “Where are the women at tonight? We need some of you up here.” And one by one, ladies walked up to the side stage area, with about 20 joining him on stage to dance. Flo Rida was fun and charming, even handing out roses to fans and making attempts to get into the crowd to take photos with them, give out hugs and he even gave out his sneakers, which he signed on the spot and handed to someone in the crowd. He closed his turn with his latest single, “High Heels,” which features country singer Walker Hayes.
It was a solid warmup for headliner Cole Swindell, who brought the same kind of vibrant energy to the fest. The 39-year-old country star wasted no time as he powered through the hit “Drinkaby,” where he let the crowd sing the chorus as he thrust the microphone into the air.
“I’ve been hearing y’all scream from backstage all day. The energy here is incredible, let’s keep it up and party some more tonight,” he said. The party did continue as he transitioned into “Chillin’ It.” Much of his set featured tracks from his latest album, “Stereotype,” including “Single Saturday Night” and “Never Say Never.” He also threw in a cover of “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls, which got the crowd swaying with lighters and cell phone flashlights in the air.
Swindell wrapped up his set, and this installment of Boots in the Park, with his hit “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” and fans packed up their chairs and headed to the exits. The day provided such an eclectic mix of entertainment and one thing was certain: no matter who you were, what you wore or how you looked, everyone came out for a good time at Boots in the Park. Anytime fans of country music get together it’s a party and this was one that everyone was invited to.
Other impressive moments from the day included Blanco Brown, who brought incredible energy not only with his soul-country sound, but the numerous inspirational stories he shared with fans. His upbringing on the southside of Atlanta, as he noted that day, was a rough one, losing friends and family members to gun violence.
“Despite everything I faced, I chose to have grace. If you have faith, persistence and strength, you can overcome anything,” he said as he went into “Ghett Ol Memories.” He also sang tracks “CountryTime,” “Trap Still Bumpin,” and “I’ll Never.” He also threw in some early ’00s hits in the mix as Brown was singing along to “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton and “Hey Ya!” and “Ms. Jackson” by OutKast.
Country duo LoCash also had a fun set, too, as they sang “Three Favorite Colors,” “I Know Somebody” and “Beach Boys.” They also covered the Backstreet Boys’ iconic song “I Want It That Way” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” Norco-born and raised artist Presley Tennant graced the stage as she sang “Bite The Bullet” and “Something In Orange.” The young country artist, who rose to fame following a stint on NBC’s reality singing competition show “The Voice,” also came back to the stage to sing the national anthem before Swindell’s set.
Boots in the Park Norco
When: Saturday, March 11
Where: SilverLakes Sports Complex, Norco
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