Uplifting country star Niko Moon to headline music and wellness event at The Refinery
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A multi-platinum country artist is bringing his good vibes and uplifting sound to The Refinery this Memorial Day weekend.
Niko Moon's inaugural 'Good Time Charleston' will take place at the outdoor event venue on Meeting Street Road on Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25.
Both nights will feature a 'Good Timer Tailgate' from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by a live concert at 7 p.m. In addition, fans can sign up for a morning yoga session with Moon, taught by a local teacher. Those interested can sign up here.
During the tailgates, fans will have the opportunity to interact with Moon, eat local food, and learn more about 1 Million Strong and Happy Cowboy Foundation, which are mental health organizations partnering for the family-friendly event.
Moon, who has written for Dierks Bentley, The Zac Brown Band, and Morgan Wallen, will perform his two new singles, 'BOAT SONG' and 'I LOVE THIS BEACH.'
Both singles are from his upcoming album 'American Palm,' set to debut in July.
'I'm super super excited. It's a full-on vacation album,' Moon said. 'It like puts your toes in the sand with every single song and I can't wait for everybody to hear that album.'
Night one of the inaugural event on Saturday is already sold out, so Moon and his team decided to add a second show, which has a few tickets left. Fans can buy the remaining tickets here.
'I think the show is a vacation, you know we don't have to go to Cabo to go on vacay,' Moon explained. 'We're going to hit the pause button at The Refinery and have ourselves a real good time.'
A tradition for Moon while performing is to wear a palm shirt and be barefoot to immerse himself in the vacation mindset for performing. He encourages others to wear their favorite vacation shirt, too.
The idea for the event stemmed from his desire to connect with fans, whom he calls the good-timers. It all started when he brainstormed new ways to strengthen that connection.
Typically, Moon will do pre-show meet-and-greets or hang out with his fans after he performs.
'For me, human connection is the whole reason why I'm doing music,' Moon explained. 'It's how I connect with people best, and I think this is my first step into really taking it to that next level.'
But why host the first event in Charleston?
Well, Moon said every time he's played here in the past, the experience has been memorable. Charleston is where he was able to cross off a bucket list item when he played three sold-out shows back-to-back-to-back at the Windjammer in 2024 on the Isle of Palms.
'For me, like a real sign or affirmation that the love was really strong in Charleston, and I think it's because the culture that I love so much, the lifestyle that I'm into, it just really goes hand in hand with Charleston living,' Moon said.
The name comes from Moon's most-streamed song and his first single, 'Good Time,' which hit number one on the charts.
Moon first wrote the hit while he was a full-time songwriter. He pitched it to every country star he knew, but no one picked it up.
'But in the world of songwriting, 99 out of 100 songs never see the light of day. You have to learn how to get thick skin,' Moon said.
However, Moon held on to the song, and when it came time to release his own music, he decided that 'Good Time' was the first single because he felt it best represented him.
'Everything worked out the way it was supposed to work out. Looking back on it I was so bummed that no one cut it but then I cut it and it went number one, so it was maybe always meant for me,' Moon said.
As a way to give back, $1 of the ticket sale proceeds will go towards his organization, Happy Cowboy Foundation, which aims to expand mental healthcare access for underserved individuals.
'So just by coming to one of my shows, you're helping somebody else find peace of mind,' Moon said. '..you can feel good about the music that you're listening to, that you came to have a good time, but that you're also helping somebody else out.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
'It's just so crazy.' Hoover High grad Karissa Ella thrilled to perform at Country Fest
Karissa Ella recalls being in awe of Dierks Bentley at The Country Fest in Stark County as a teenager. "I remember standing there watching him sing and having such a good time with my friends," the 2014 Hoover High School graduate said. "I love country music, and I was like, 'Man, it would be so cool to be up on that stage. I want to do that.' And I think ... right then and there, I planted the seed of wanting to play Country Fest, but I also think I planted a seed of wanting to be a singer and wanted to be like him." Roughly a decade later, the country music artist will live out that dream June 13 at Country Fest at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in Lawrence Township. Ella will kick off the festival's second full day at 4 p.m. "It's crazy that I am getting to play it for the first time," she said in a recent phone interview. "And it's just proof to me in manifestation and in belief in yourself ... (and) it's all just a really big full circle moment. "They've really welcomed me with open arms and have shown me their support," Ella said. "And I'm just so grateful for it, and I just cannot wait to get up on that Country Fest stage. I'm still in disbelief, I'm still in awe that I get to play it, and I just hope I can do our hometown proud.' Aaron Green, co-founder of Country Fest, said he's considered booking Ella for a few years. "We wanted to give her a shot," he said. "She's an awesome person. If we can do anything to help bolster her career, that's what we're here for, and that's what we want to do. "I know she's always wanted to play it. We finally did it, and I think it's going to be great for us, and I think it's going to be great for her." 'Magic sauce' of Country Fest 'Godfather of Country Fest.' Dierks Bentley returns to annual event in Stark County The Stark County native is now coming full circle at Country Fest, where Bentley is returning as a headliner the same day Ella performs. Her musical journey began when she moved to Nashville following high school to attend Belmont University. Chasing stardom wasn't her motivation for going to "Music City," however. College was the priority. Along the way, she became a singer-songwriter who couldn't resist the pull of the stage. It continued the path she set out on in Stark County, where she performed in musicals and choral groups at Hoover High. She also danced competitively. Back then, she was known as Karissa Haasz. "I always knew I had a love for music, and I would use music as a crutch if I was having a bad day, or if I was happy, music was always there for me," she said. "And I just thought, 'Wow, what a powerful and healing thing music is. We're so lucky to have it, and it would be really cool to write my own or to be that for someone else.'" Performing music live can be traced to Harmon's Pub in Canton, a popular hangout and eatery on Tuscarawas Street W. "It's really special to me because they are really the first people who allowed me to get my feet wet in music and perform, and we just did acoustic stuff," Ella said. "But I'm so grateful for them because they kept letting me come back, and it was really for me to keep getting experience, and it worked. "That place has become a very special place for me because I found my love of music and of being an artist through there." Musical interests evolved until she was playing Nashville gigs and performing at The Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown. "The Dusty Armadillo is a rite of passage," she said. Mentors also have helped guide Ella on her ascent. That started with lessons from Alison Nutt in North Canton, her first vocal instructor. Nutt also introduced her to Belmont University, a private Christian school where she graduated in 2018 with a degree in music business. "She is just an incredible person," Ella said. "She's so loving and supportive, and at a time in my life when I was in middle school and high school, she was just so formative of me and so supportive of me and really pushed me into musical theater and auditioning. "I think if it wasn't for her, I would have never had the courage to try out for the musicals or try out for the select choirs or anything like that, and all of those experiences helped me grow as an artist but also as a person. "She has been a huge influence in my personal life but also in my musical life because she taught me to sing in every which way," Ella added. "And it first introduced me to music, and what a great person to introduce me to music. She was so encouraging and heartfelt. We still keep up to this day. She's just one of the best." Nutt fondly recalled those singing lessons. "She definitely had talent and a lot of natural ability, and a work ethic like you would not believe," she said. "But she was always striving. Even as a sixth grader, she wanted to know how to do this better or how to do that better." Nutt said Ella is a spectacular singer in any genre or setting, capable of belting out a Broadway show tune on note. "If she walked into a listening room (in Nashville) and sang something like ('Somewhere Over the Rainbow'), she would blow the doors off of there," Nutt said. "If you listen to any of her recordings, she just has a lot of power behind that little body of hers." Ella also credits the boundless support of her parents and family in both music and life. "They are my biggest support system," she said. "The No. 1 thing in my life is my family. "My mom (Lori Haasz) first started taking guitar lessons, and how I first started writing was that she would start writing songs on the guitar, and she would have me sing them, so that's how I got into picking up guitar and writing songs," the daughter recalled. "And I would write songs with my mom ... and we still write to this day, and it's the best because I can really, truly be myself around here, and she's a great writer, too." Ella said Stark County will always be her favorite place. "And honestly, now that I've been to a couple of different places, I always compare where I was raised to those places, and it still wins," she said of North Canton and the Canton area overall, her voice perking up. "Maybe I'm biased, but I feel when I come home, it's just a warm hug. It's the best feeling ever. "... It has made me who I am, and I think because when I move away, I can take a step back and look out and understand what an incredible place it is because I don't take it for granted anymore," Ella said. That affection spilled over into her most recent song, "Hall of Fame," a tribute to where she grew up. Ella said she intended the song to be relatable and accessible to all country music fans, while also paying homage to her roots. She even incorporates the highway exit that takes travelers from Interstate 77 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another mention is Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Akron, where some family members worked. "It's a story about my family and how they made this place so special for me," said Ella, who co-wrote the song with Cassidy Best and Sam Blasko, both Nashville-based artists. And "it started off with the people who kind of made this town what it is today, and how it's changed so much, but in reality, it really hasn't changed that much because the people here are still some of the best people I've met. They're so kind and gracious and selfless." Working-class themed lyrics sprinkle in references to sports and industry. "This little calloused town. Grew up blue collar proud. Shirt off your back, salt of the earth. Ain't afraid of a little work. Between the football games. Underneath the oil stains. A hard town to break, I know a place that should be in the hall of fame. "Most people drive on through. Oh, if only they all knew. Right off exit 107A. They're stronger than the steel they made." "I'm so excited about this release because it's one of my favorite songs," Ella said. "I love my hometown, and I just want to brag about it all the time. I love Ohio, I love this great state, and I think the best people come from it. Of course, I'm biased, but I love writing about it and having a song for the people who live there to know how special they are, and to be reminded of it." The song will also be on her new EP, "Growing Wings," scheduled for release July 11. Seven tracks will be featured, including "Last Call Cowboy," "Heartbreaker" and "Mamas Do." She also has gigs and concerts scheduled throughout the summer, including a show in Massillon at 8 p.m. July 11 as part of the summer concert series at the Massillon Knights Foundation property, 988 Cherry Road NW. Other performances are in Nashville, Youngstown and at Country Concert 25 in Fort Loramie, a multi-day event featuring Brad Paisley, Brantley Gilbert, Jon Pardi and Blake Shelton. "I'm not chasing this dream anymore," Ella said. "I'm actually living the dream. My dream is to write and record and put out music and tour, and that's exactly what I'm doing." Achieving any level of success in the music business is tough, Ella admitted. "This business, you're not in it for the money, you're in it for the passion, and it comes with a lot of hard work, and you really have to put your blinders on as an artist because we're all on different paths and we're all on different journeys," she said. Asked about her long-term career goals, Ella humbly said she simply wants to create music, perform and impact people with her music. "I don't know where I'll end up," she said. "I hope one day I end up singing at the Grand Ole Opry. I hope one day I'll be on the Blossom Music Center stage and get to cross that one off. ... I hope in a few years that I'm on a tour and I'm touring all across America. I would love if my music would take me overseas as well. "I just want to meet new fans," Ella said. "I want to make music that resonates with people, that helps people heal, whether that's cry, laugh or drink to or make memories to. That's what I want to do. I want to be part of that and help make those experiences and help make those memories for everyone." Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@ Follow on TikTok @edward balint. What: The Country Fest Where: Clay's Resort Jellystone Park, 12951 Patterson Road in Lawrence Township. What: Country musical festival, featuring headliners Warren Zeiders, Bailey Zimmerman, Dierks Bentley and Hardy, as well as Stark County native Karissa Ella. When: June 11-14. Ella, a 2014 Hoover High School grad, performs at 4 p.m. June 13. Tickets: Single day admission costs $84.99 Wednesday, and $129.99 daily Thursday through Saturday. Two-day commuter tickets cost $217.88; three-day commuter, $238.87; and four-day, $259.87. Commuter passes include admission to Clay's Resort Adventure Waterpark. To purchase tickets and for information about camping, go to More details: This article originally appeared on The Repository: Country Fest 2025 a showcase for Hoover grad Karissa Ella
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Country Fest artist coming to Canton. First ticketed show announced for Centennial Plaza
CANTON − The first ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton will be a feel-good party. Niko Moon, who blends country, pop and Caribbean sounds, will bring his upbeat island vacation vibe to the outdoor venue Sept. 19. Hometown Jams, an Indiana-based promoter, announced the concert Monday morning. Tickets go on sale to the general public on June 20 through and at Presale tickets will be available starting June 17. Moon is a newer musical artist, releasing his first album, "Good Time" in 2021 before following up with "Better Days" in 2024. And he's already released three songs this year to be included on a new album. His music blends easy-listening pop with country music and Caribbean and hip-hop influences. Moon also draws comparisons to Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett. Popular songs include "Good Time," "Paradise to Me" and "Way Back." "Good Time" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and the YouTube video for the song has 93 million views while "Paradise to Me" has tallied 21 million views. Prior to going solo, Moon was a member of Sir Rosevelt alongside country singer-songwriter Zac Brown and Ben Simonetti. Sir Rosevelt was a dance-pop side project of Brown of the Zac Brown Band. Sir Rosevelt released a self-titled album in 2017. Moon also co-produced the Zac Brown Band's 2015 album Jekyll + Hyde, as well as the band's 2017 studio release, "Welcome Home." The Texas native also has penned songs for Dierks Bentley Rascal Flatts, Morgan Wallen, Pitbull and others. Boasting 233,000 followers on Facebook and 337,000 followers on Instagram, the Nashville-based artist was named SESAC country songwriter of the year in 2021. The event will be the first full-blown, ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza, following a change in management of the downtown space. ASM Global, the company that operates the Canton Memorial Civic Center, is now in charge of managing the venue and booking entertainment there under a lease agreement with the city of Canton. 'The City of Canton and ASM Global are excited to combine the amazing backdrop of Centennial Plaza with the feel good, infectious energy of a Niko Moon concert," said Blake Schilling, general manager of the Civic Center. Schilling said ASM Global and the city have created a preliminary security plan with the Canton Police Department and Police Chief John Gabbard for the concert. Security will be provided by both Canton police and the Cleveland-based security and crowd management company CSC. Capacity for the Centennial Plaza concert is estimated at 2,000 people, Schilling said. The concert will be moved to the Civic Center if there's inclement weather, he said. Good music and good eats Blues Fest 2.0. New version of popular event returning to downtown Canton The concert is being presented by Hometown Jams, a company founded in 2018 that produces entertainment in communities across the Midwest. Hometown Jams says its focus is "on creating memorable experiences and connecting fans and artists ... (and) delivering big city vibes without the hassle − right in your backyard." 'Niko brings a feel-good energy that's impossible not to move to,' Tyrus Joseforsky, founder of Hometown Jams, said in a news release. 'There's no better artist to help us kick things off in Ohio than in Canton with Niko Moon − and Centennial Plaza is the perfect backdrop for what's going to be an unforgettable night.' 'This show is the beginning of something special for Canton,' Joseforsky said. 'We've had our eyes on this city for a while, and Niko Moon is the perfect way to say, 'We're here.'' Canton will be a stop on a summerlong tour for Moon, which includes concerts in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Virginia, New Jersey, Indiana, Oregon and Texas. Moon is scheduled to perform in Fort Thomas, Kentucky the day before his Stark County appearance. Moon recently performed in Stark County, filling the second slot on June 12 at The Country Fest, a four-day country music festival that draws thousands of fans and campers to Clay's Resort Jellystone Park near Canal Fulton. Tracks included the catchy and infectiously melodic, "Boat Song," a recent single. Another 2025 release, "I Love This Beach" embodies the same laid-back, flip-flop sandal, backyard party vibe. Moon's most recent single, "Sandcastles" is a carefree island country ballad ready-made for concert crowd singalongs and arm waving. Playing under a sunlit blue sky, Moon strolled barefoot across the Country Fest stage and catwalk in a matching Hawaiian-style shirt and shorts. A yellow plastic cup was often in one hand and a microphone in the other. Moon also strummed an acoustic guitar on a few songs. Fans can expect the same relaxed atmosphere when he performs in Canton in what Hometown Jams describes as "an immersive outdoor experience." The show also will feature food vendors and cold beverages, the announcement said. Reach Ed at ebalint@ Follow on X @ebalintREP and TikTok @edwardbalint Who: Niko Moon, musical artist who blends country, pop and island sounds Where: Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton, 330 Court Ave. NW. What: First ticketed concert at Centennial Plaza, which is now managed by ASM Global, operator of the Canton Memorial Civic Center. When: Sept. 19 Tickets: Go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. June 20 through and at Presale tickets will be available from 10 a.m. June 17 to 10 p.m. June 19. For more information, go to This article originally appeared on The Repository: Country Fest artist Niko Moon making downtown Canton, Ohio tour stop
Black America Web
a day ago
- Black America Web
Cardi B Reveals Baby Blossom Belle In Sweet Family Photo Dump
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Cardi B has officially introduced the world to her third child, Blossom Belle, in a series of heartwarming Instagram photos shared Monday. The reveal comes just weeks after the rapper accidentally let the name slip during a heated moment online. In the post, Cardi shared candid shots of her children enjoying summer fun, including 8-month-old Blossom Belle, her daughter with estranged husband Offset. The baby was all smiles as she curiously explored her mom's luxury items, including a Louis Vuitton bag. Cardi also shared playful moments on her Instagram Stories, joking that little Blossom already enjoys stirring up trouble with her older siblings, Kulture and Wave. The sweet snaps show all three children looking happy and growing up fast, with Cardi proudly smiling alongside them under a stylish umbrella. The family update marked a peaceful Father's Day for the rapper and Offset, a contrast to the drama that erupted between them over Memorial Day weekend. Despite ongoing relationship tensions, Cardi kept the focus on family this time around. As for Blossom Belle—her name might have made headlines under tense circumstances, but her debut was pure joy, proving that sometimes the tiniest smiles make the biggest statements. SEE ALSO Cardi B Reveals Baby Blossom Belle In Sweet Family Photo Dump was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
