Latest news with #RascalFlatts
Axios
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
1 big thing: 🐮 The State Fair is a week away
So we meet again, Wednesday. 🌤️ Today's weather: Another hot summer day, with a high in the upper 80s and a chance of thunderstorms. FYI: We could probably copy and paste this forecast for the next week or so. 🎵 Sounds like: " Summer Nights" by Rascal Flatts. Alissa Widman Neese, Tyler Buchanan It's almost time for the Ohio State Fair — where you can pet a kangaroo, watch T-Pain perform and eat deep-fried candy bars all in one day. Why it matters: While revered for its unusual food and entertainment, the fair is much more than that. It draws about a million visitors to Columbus from all 88 counties to celebrate our agricultural roots and unite over summertime traditions. Driving the news: The gates are open next Wednesday morning through Aug. 3. What's new: You'll find those kangaroos and other animals at The Barnyard, a new shaded area featuring the popular petting zoo and pig race attractions. Other debuts include chainsaw carving demonstrations and a free circus, plus axe throwing ($10) and a 200-foot-high slingshot ride ($40). Plus: Two gift shops, eight water bottle filling stations and a north-side entry gate. 🎵 Who's performing: From Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Foreigner to a free Taylor Swift tribute, check out our ranking of this year's lineup. Tickets. Best bites: Several new foods are inspired by 2025's viral flavors, including Dubai chocolate funnel cakes, white cheddar dill pickle cheese curds and a "smashdilla," described as "where a quesadilla and a smash burger fall in love." Schmidt's yearly cream puff is caramel apple. Concession stands offer special $3 items on Thursdays, July 24 and 31. 🤨 Yes, but: We're utterly perplexed by the new buckeye lemonade, "infused with creamy peanut butter and chocolate." What's next: It wouldn't be the State Fair without a Butter Cow. It'll be unveiled Tuesday. Gate hours: 10am–9pm Monday–Friday and 9am–9pm Saturday–Sunday, except the last Sunday, when gates close at 6pm. Map. Daily schedule. $12 adults, $10 kids and seniors at the gate. Kids under 6 free! $10 parking. 🎟️ Ticket pro tips: Buy online before opening day and pay just $8. Discount days are July 28 (adults $10, kids free), July 29 (seniors free) and July 31 (college students $10). Military members, first responders and veterans are free every day with an ID. 2. 😋 Chart du jour: What you can eat on a stick Here's a fun statistic to share with fellow fairgoers: Concession stands will be serving 20 different foods on a stick this year. The intrigue: After crunching the numbers, we've learned that's somehow lower than average over the past four fairs. Zoom in: This year's delicacies include the obvious corn dogs, cotton candy and candy apples, plus oddities like a sausage s'more skewer, fried gator and moonshine chicken. 4. 🪧 "Good Trouble Lives On" protests are coming April Rubin, Alissa Widman Neese Tens of thousands of people are expected to protest the Trump administration again tomorrow, on the fifth anniversary of the death of civil rights leader and former congressman John Lewis. Flashback: Lewis was one of the most vocal critics of President Trump during his first administration. He skipped Trump's 2017 inauguration — only the second Lewis missed during his three-decade tenure in Congress including former President George W. Bush's inauguration in 2001. Zoom in: Local events are scheduled in Delaware, Hilliard, Westerville, Reynoldsburg, Sunbury and in downtown Columbus. 5. 🕵️♀️ Alissa's first geocaching trip Alissa Widman Neese 👋 Alissa here. Inspired by Tyler's adventures in geocaching, I decided to "quickly" investigate a couple caches by my house yesterday. Reality check: I really underestimated how well these things are hidden, and it took me quite a while to find two beginner-level caches. I rage-quit and headed back to my car at both sites, thoroughly convinced the caches must no longer be around. Yes, but: After cooling off, I got back out and persevered, with a little help from their comment logs on the Geocaching website. Disclaimer: I'm going to share two spoilers, if you plan on searching the west side. My first stop: The San Margherita sign near the Belmont House apartments, to find a teeny, tiny magnetic capsule stuck to a park bench's underside, containing a paper log. It's a common tactic, Tyler tells me. He already found that one two weeks ago. The second: The El Vaquero on Riverside Drive, where it was cleverly hidden near the parking lot. I unknowingly circled around forever before finding it. My advice: Do more research than I did about what to expect when searching. I now understand how learning common hiding tactics would definitely help.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
14 family-friendly Fourth of July events in Utah
A weekend of barbecues, fireworks and festive parades will unfold across the Salt Lake Valley this weekend. From drone shows to hot air balloon festivals, patriotic festivities offer something for families of all ages. Expect live music, flag ceremonies, food trucks and more as communities gather to mark the Fourth of July with celebrations. Riverton When: July 2-5 What: Festivities for Riverton Town days include a carnival, vendors, live music, a pickleball grand rally, a parade, an outdoor screening of 'The Wild Robot,' a flag ceremony, a breakfast, running races, basketball tournaments and fireworks. The events take place at Riverton City Park. Provo When: July 3-4 What: Provo Freedom Festival's celebrations begin July 3 and extend through the Fourth of July. Festivities include parades, live music, drone shows and firework shows. Rascal Flatts will headline the Stadium of Fire event. Layton When: July 3-4 What: Layton is hosting a two-day celebration that includes the city's All-Stars 'celebration showcase' at Ellison Park, a breakfast, kid's bike parade, a city parade, food vendors, a concert at the Kenley Amphitheater and a firework show. Kaysville When: July 3-4 What: Kaysville's Barnes Park will have food trucks and outdoor screenings of 'Moana 2″ (Thursday) and 'The Boys in the Boat' (Friday). On Friday, the city will hold a breakfast, running races, a parade, live music, food trucks and a traditional firework show. West Jordan When: July 3-5 What: West Jordan is hosting its Western Stampede, which includes a rodeo, carnival, parade, drone shows, food trucks and a firework show to top it off. Sandy When: July 4, 6:45 a.m.-10 p.m. What: The festivities that are part of this free celebration include a flag ceremony, a 5K, a police K-9 show, crafts for the kids, fire trucks, food and vendors, an evening parade, live music from The Salamanders and fireworks. The events take place at the Sandy City Hall and Promenade. Holladay When: July 4, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. What: Holladay is hosting a Fourth of July breakfast at its city hall that costs $8 for adults and $5 for kids. There will also be a bike parade and a Charley Jenkins concert in the evening. Fireworks will conclude the celebration at 10 pm. Salt Lake City When: July 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. What: This Is The Place Heritage Park will kick off the holiday with its traditional celebration that includes a flag ceremony and salute conducted by the Sons of the American Revolution. Salt Lake City When: July 4, 6-10 p.m. What: The Gateway is celebrating Independence Day with live music, a DJ, karaoke, yard games, face-painting and contests. South Jordan When: July 4, 7:05 p.m. What: The Salt Lake Bees will play against the Tacoma Rainiers at their new home, The Ballpark at America First Square in South Jordan, on the Fourth of July. A fireworks show will follow. Eagle Mountain When: July 4, 8-10 p.m. What: Eagle Mountain will be celebrating the Fourth of July with live music, food trucks and a traditional firework show at the Cory Wride Memorial Park. Heber City When: July 5 What: Heber City is celebrating the Fourth of July with its annual paddleboarding festival. The event, which includes live music, food and paddleboarding races, is for all ages. Sandy When: July 5, 7:30 p.m. What: The American West Symphony & Chorus will perform a free concert at the Sandy Amphitheater that includes patriotic songs and popular crowd-pleasers from 'Wicked' and 'West Side Story.' Salt Lake City When: July 5, 8-10 p.m. What: Salt Lake City is putting on a drone show — a fun alternative to the traditional firework show. Food trucks and live music will also be included at the event held at Jordan Park.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Barefoot Country Music Fest in Wildwood, New Jersey, paused because of lightning
The Barefoot Country Music Fest in Wildwood, New Jersey, was paused Thursday evening because of lightning nearby, the festival said on social media. "Lightning has been detected within 8 miles of the festival. Exit the festival grounds immediately and seek shelter. Stay tuned to the app/social for updates," the festival's Facebook page says. It's not clear what time the concert will resume. The four-day music festival on the beach in Wildwood features Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Rascal Flatts, Jordan Davis and dozens of other artists. Staff at businesses in the area said they hope the festival brings a boost after a slow and rainy start to summer at the Jersey Shore. Severe storms swept through the Philadelphia area Thursday, causing extensive damage and power outages.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From Rascal Flatts to Megan Moroney, CMA Fest Night 3 was genius blend of new, nostalgic
One of the things CMA Fest does best is effortlessly bring together generations of country music. But the festival outdid itself June 7. From Deana Carter's set full of songs exclusively from her debut album, to a pair of duets from Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins, to the Red Clay Stays in the midst of their breakout moment, the night's headliners proved again how timeless country music can feel. Megan Moroney — bearing the influence of a summer on the road with Kenny Chesney — stood out. As did Dasha and Ashley Cooke who took over bars downtown during the day with early-2000s flavor. The genre may be over a century old, but it's not worn out. Here are the best moments from Saturday at CMA Fest. Plan your day: 4 Sunday CMA Fest performances not to miss Rascal Flatts' return to country music's ultimate stage kicked into high gear when Gary LeVox approached the front of the stage to receive the outstretched hands of fans wanting to revel in his stunning lead vocal performance on their 20-year-old hit single "Fast Cars and Freedom." The day's overarching theme of artists being as much friends as they are collaborators and fans of each others' success was apparent when Carly Pearce appeared as a guest for "My Wish." The pair also perform the song on Rascal Flatts' new album, "Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets." And yes, Rascal Flatts performed their multi-platinum-selling classics "What Hurts The Most" and their cover of Tom Cochrane's "Life Is A Highway." "What Hurts the Most" received the most robust sing-along yet of CMA Fest's Nissan Stadium shows. That was almost immediately eclipsed by how gleeful the crowd was in response to hearing the opening bassline and thumping drums of "Life Is A Highway." The trio's performance, especially Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus going back to back on the song's bridge, put Nissan Stadium into a state of energetic euphoria. Like a supermodel owning a catwalk, Megan Moroney strutted onto the stage in her white cowboy boots. The 27-year-old's confidence shined brighter than her sparkly silver dress refracting the stage lights. As Moroney twirled, the silver fringes hanging from her dress danced. 'I think it's time we put another man on the moon,' she sang and waved to the crowd before grabbing her blue electric guitar for her punchy, angsty anthem 'Indifferent.' Moroney has played CMA Fest four times. In 2022, she headlined the Spotlight Stage at Fan Fair X. 'I'm pretty sure the only reason people came to see me was because of the A/C,' she quipped. That was back before she could afford a band. Her brother Brian Moroney played guitar. 'He's here tonight. … He's a really cool attorney in real life, but tonight he's a rock star.' Brian played an acoustic guitar while she sang the breakout hit that put her on the map, 'Tennessee Orange.' 'We are celebrating tonight,' Moroney said telling the crowd that her final song, 'Am I Okay?' is her second No. 1 single on country radio. Blake Shelton sauntered onstage at Nissan Stadium for his 2025 CMA Fest performance like country music's veteran quarterback looking to achieve a touchdown of a live set. He did just that in under three songs with material from his latest album "For Recreational Use Only." One month ago, Shelton landed his 30th country radio chart-topper, the R&B-leaning rocker "Texas." "Stay Country or Die Tryin'," which hearkens back to fan favorite "God's Country," feels like it will achieve the same fate. Nearly 25 years have elapsed since he was, as he described himself, a skinny aspiring Nashville performer with a mullet whose debut hit "Austin" landed him a spot at CMA Fest. After Shelton performed that classic, he was joined by Trace Adkins. The Louisiana native performed his Western dance floor favorite "Honkytonk Badonkadonk." Up next was Shelton and Adkins' six-year-old duet "Hell Right." The duo, clearly entertained by how well their vocal collaboration was received, then broke into their 15-year-old duet "Hillbilly Bone." The creators of over two dozen No. 1 hits left the stage together to a rousing roar from the 50,000 in attendance. Red Clay Strays lead singer Brandon Coleman evokes comparisons to Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Onstage at Nissan Stadium on Saturday evening, those vibes were combined with a band that calls to mind the bluesy, soulful rock of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. In a 30-minute set, the lead singer and his band continued to raise their profile. The words of their opening song, the lovestruck "Wondering Why," lingered over a crowd being introduced to the critically hyped Alabama band. Though they have less than a decade of experience, they play with confidence beyond their years. In a live festival set, unrepentantly sad Red Clay Strays songs like "I'm Still Fine" with lyrics like, "I'm as bruised as a used up canvas / I'm awfully nice but I'm cold as ice / I've been through hell but I'll be alright," might seem out of place. However, the warmth of the Hammond organs, the skill of Coleman's crooning and the taut delivery of soulful grooves allowed the artistry to overwhelm the message. By time the band's settled into jam-band stylings, it felt like an ideal counterbalance in a night filled with generations of pop bangers. Though it was drizzling outside at CMA Fest, inside Lower Broadway's Whiskey Bent Saloon, Dasha took over the venue for a "Dashville" pop-up. She joined performers in a flash-mob-style line dance outside and then danced on top of the bar inside to Big & Rich's "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy," much like Piper Perabo in the 2000 film "Coyote Ugly." The moments highlighted a certain pop timelessness that, now more than ever, is invading the space that streaming success has opened in country music's growth. Couple that with her latest hit, "Here For This Party," being remixed by EDM kingpin David Guetta, and her recent public statements about collaborating with another 2010s pop-dance legend, Pitbull, Dasha could be onto something greater than her own artistry. "It's special to be having a star-making moment when this cultural shift is happening," she said. "I'm obsessed with trusting the divine timing of this perfect moment. When these things are supposed to happen, they happen." The divinity of the moment spread even further to Spotify House at Ole Red, where no fewer than 15 minutes after Dasha rekindled 2000s vibes on the bar at Whiskey Bent, 2024 country chart-topper Ashley Cooke welcomed a recent Music City transplant, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, to perform his 2006 hit "So Sick." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: From Megan Moroney to Rascal Flatts, CMA Fest captures new, nostalgic
Forbes
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Backstreet Boys Dominate iTunes With Classic Boy Band Smashes
Next month, the Backstreet Boys will drop Millennium 2.0, an expanded edition of its groundbreaking, blockbuster album Millennium. The updated release includes previously unheard tunes and other goodies that superfans will enjoy. Listeners, however, can't seem to wait until July 11, when the project officially arrives. The pop icons are already dominating iTunes this Friday (June 6), as Americans once again rush to buy music by the Backstreet Boys en masse. On the current edition of the iTunes Top Songs list – which ranks the bestselling tracks on the U.S. version of the platform, and is often considered the most important when it comes to individual tune purchases in the country — the Backstreet Boys have put their continued popularity on full display. The group claims half a dozen top 10 hits at the moment. All of its smashes — "I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life," "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," "Don't Want to Lose You Now," "The One," and "It's Gotta Be You" — appear in this lineup, one right after the other, starting at No. 3 with "I Want It That Way" and ending at No. 8 with "It's Gotta Be You." Further down the 200-spot roster comes a recently-released collaboration between the Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts, "What Hurts the Most." The updated take on the tune made famous by the country group years ago currently lives at No. 117. The track was released earlier this year and is benefiting at the moment as Rascal Flatts drops its new collaborative project, Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets, which arrives this Friday and is nearing the top 10 on the iTunes Top Albums list. Speaking of the iTunes Top Albums tally, the Backstreet Boys nearly claim a No. 1 album in America, in addition to multiple bestselling top 10 smashes. Millennium bolts more than 150 spaces to settle in the runner-up spot, coming in behind only Tha Carter VI by Lil Wayne, which proves to be the biggest new release this week. Both of those titles push former recent champions Taylor Swift's Reputation and Morgan Wallen's I'm the Problem down several pegs, after they were ruling just a few hours ago.
