Alesha Cintron, of Wilmington, singing and dancing with the music of Steven Lee Olsen at the Big Barrel Music Festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Steven Lee Olsen performing at the Big Barrel Music Festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Steven Lee Olsen performing at the Big Barrel Music Festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Steven Lee Olsen performing at the Big Barrel Music Festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Eileen Igo, left, of Wilmington and Kathy Nagle of Fair Hill, Md., hugging the “Big Barrel” Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Del McCoury Band performing on the Wildwood stage at the Big Barrel music festival Sunday afternoon. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
A few remnants of Saturday’s heavy rain were evident but the weatherman made up for it. Cool temperatures, low humidity and gentle breeze for country music lovers at the Big Barrel Music festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Del McCoury Band performing on the Wildwood stage at the Big Barrel music festival Sunday afternoon. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Bill Cubbage, of Hartly, making his way through the crowd for Sunday performances at the Big Barrel music festival. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Oak Ridge Boys performing on the Wildwood stage at the Big Barrel music festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
A few remnants of Saturday’s heavy rain were evident but the weatherman made up for it. Cool temperatures, low humidity and gentle breeze for country music lovers at the Big Barrel Music festival Sunday (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Bob Riddagh, of Smyrna, relaxing to the sound of guitars and banjos at the Big Barrel music festival Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Kathleen Mullins, 14, of Hampstead, N.C. traveled to Dover to attend the Big Barrel music festival with her step-mother Kathy Wilson, of Newark. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Country western great Merle Haggard gets a huge Delaware “Big Barrel” welcome as he came out on stage to perform Sunday night. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Thousands packed into the Wildwood Stage tent to see and hear country western great Merle Haggard Sunday night at the Big Barrel music festival in Dover. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
Meagan Torres, of Newark, sure performers on stage knew she was celebrating her 21st birthday Sunday. (Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)
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Country Music Hall of Famer and living legend Loretta Lynn performs Saturday evening on the Wildwood Stage at Big Barrel. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers)
Andrea Giordano of Kennett Square, PA has her cowgirl hat firmly planted on her poncho covered head Saturday by a fellow Big Barrel Country Music Festival fan.
Big Barrel fans wear rain gear Saturday afternoon and ease the pain of the storm with a few beers.
Robert Thompson of Ruther Glen, VA has help with his rain poncho Saturday at Big Barrel
Nancy Stratton of Pasadena, MD didn't let a few raindrops damper her day at Big Barrel.
Brad Ryan of Wilmington and Heather Perri of Philadelphia party Saturday before the raindrops start to fall.
Wearing a rain poncho, Big Barrel fan Mark Stump of Wilmington was ready to party regardless of a few raindrops.
Glennon Crowell of Crofton, MD sits back and enjoys the scenery at Big Barrel Saturday.
Kristen and Kara Zack of Kennett Square, PA, better known as country music act Born Sisters, kicked off the music on the Main Stage Saturday afternoon.
From right, Lindsey Marxen of Baltimore shows her sister Dana Marxen of Parsippany, NJ and friends Erika Kincaid of New York City and Jesse Moore of Patterson, NJ how to "two-step" inside the Harvest Moon Dance Hall at Big Barrel Saturday.
Sam Lewis opened Big Barrel Saturday with a performance on the Wildwood Stage.
John and Blythe Pruitt of Shrewsbury, PA steal a kiss Saturday at Big Barrel Country Music Festival in Dover.
The Deslondes perform Saturday at Big Barrel Country Music Festival.
Kim Rydholm of Brielle, NJ devours her ear of corn on the cob Saturday as she makes the rounds at Big Barrel.
Liam Lafferty, 6 of Wilmington and his little brother Nick, 4, spent Saturday trying to catch raindrops in their mouths at Big Barrel.
Lynyrd Skynyrd performs at Big Barrel Friday evening
Marcie and Bill Norris of Fredericksburg, VA enjoy the country tunes Friday evening at Big Barrel
Preston Plows, 4 of Newark sits on his daddy Barry's shoulders to enjoy the Sturgill Simpson show at Big Barrel.
The legendary Budweiser Clydesdales, in town for Big Barrel, walk around Dover International Speedway Thursday as folks snap photos happy to catch a glimpse of the nationally famous animals as they kickoff the Big Barrel Country Music Festival.
The legendary Budweiser Clydesdales walk into Dover Downs Hotel and Casino Thursday evening.
Trainer Curtis Kentner of Merrimack, NH walks a giant Clydesdale past a Budweiser trailer Thursday at Dover International Speedway
The legendary Budweiser Clydesdales, in town for Big Barrel, walk around Dover International Speedway Thursday
A close-up look at a Budweiser Clydesdale.
Chris Wiegert of Merrimack, NH and dog Barley ride on the antique beer wagon pulled by the mighty horses.
The giant horses dwarf an average-sized man.
The Budweiser trainers put on the horses fancy gear before the Big Barrel kickoff event
Folks line the side of the parking lot of Dover International Speedway to view the impressive animals.
Two Budweiser Clydesdales wear their ceremonial brass as they snuggle together for a photo
The Budweiser Clydesdales make their way towards Dover Downs Hotel and Casino Thursday evening.
Treking through a field of mud, from left, John Wolbert, Dominic Bridi, Dan Harp and Cody Marchese, all 20 of Pottstown, PA , don't seem to mind the dirty conditions.
Joe Loy of Newark, center, and his fellow country music fans cheer the music at Big Barrel County Music Festival Friday afternoon.
The members of country music act Whiskey Shivers perform on the Wildwood Stage Friday afternoon
From left, Angie Sipple of Milton, Cindie and Dale Carey of Milford, Candie Ennis of Milford and Phyllis Walker of Milford celebrate a day off Friday enjoying a perfect Summer day at Big Barrel Country Music Festival.
Ashley Hayes, 17 of Georgetown and her sister Macey, 13, pose next to Big Barrel logo during the first day of the country music festival.
John and Anne Popowski of Abbington, MD take a photograph in front of the Big Barrel main stage Friday afternoon.
Drake White performs on the main stage at Big Barrel Friday
Newlyweds Mike and Christi Gianoulos of Edgewood, NJ, right, enjoy the country music inside the Wildwood Stage pavilion Friday
Patricia Thompson of Ruther Glen, VA was a true country music fan Friday at Big Barrel.
Katrina Hoffman of Lancaster, PA and Scott Coberly of Glen Burnie, MD pose next to the trademark giant guitars on display at Big Barrel.
The Bros. Landreth opened Big Barrel Friday morning with a bang.
Phyllis Hayes of Georgetown took home a nice cowgirl hat after a day of shopping at Big Barrel.
Joe Hoherchak of Sandy Hook, NJ feeds a baby donkey inside The Stable - the petting zoo at Big Barrel.
Mark Mosely of Rocksbury, NJ takes a photograph of one of the Big Barrel bands on the main stage.
Jim Keithly of Bel Air, MD and his daughter Izetta, 16 clap along to the tunes Friday at Big Barrel
DOVER – The time to slip on the boots and don cowboy hats has officially arrived.
The first Big Barrel Country Music Festival opened its gates at noon Friday, filling the Woodlands of Dover International Speedway with a steady stream of country music lovers.
Big Barrel is being held at the same location as last week’s Firefly Music Festival and produced by the same Red Frog Events of Chicago. But with its expected crowd of between 30,000 and 35,000 compared to Firefly’s 90,000, it is scaled back in size, utilizing about a third of the Woodlands.
One of the attractions drawing fans in early Friday was an autograph signing session in the Shake and Howdy tent by one of the most anticipated acts of the festival, Cassadee Pope.
Brianna McCarthy, Brittany McCarthy and Jenny Raffaeli were about 100th in line to meet Ms. Pope Friday.
“We bought tickets as soon as we heard they were on sale,” Brittany said. “It’s our first time going to a country music festival and it’s awesome so far. Everywhere you walk, you can hear music playing.”
The three were most excited to see Ms. Pope and Miranda Lambert, who will perform tonight in the closing set on the main stage.
“We’ve never seen Miranda live before,” Ms. Raffaeli said. “That’s how much of a fan I am, I talk about her on a first-name basis.”
Keeping with the country theme, guests had access to a Dance Hall where the Dogfish Head Tent stood last week where people could not only dance but get some shade and cool air too.
Plenty of attendees also dressed for the country theme, donning denim, cowboy hats and cowboy boots.
A trio of friends from Wilmington, Judy Christofferson, Alice Saunders and Lori Trainor, were dressed for the occasion and looking forward to seeing Blake Shelton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, who played later in the evening Friday.
“It’s just fantastic and everyone is very festive,” Ms. Trainor said, posing before two giant guitars in her country outfit.
“The atmosphere seems to be really upbeat and we’re all excited.”
Ms. Saunders and Ms. Trainor both had sons who attended Firefly last weekend, but they chose Big Barrel to attend instead.
“I went to Stagecoach (a California-based country music festival aligned with Big Barrel) last year and it was amazing,” Ms. Trainor said. “So when I heard this was coming to Delaware, I had to come.”
Big Barrel also brings some interesting experiences to the festival aside from the music and atmosphere. For those with an interest in the history and process of brewing beer and distilling whiskey, Budweiser and Jack Daniels have a mobile brewery and distillery open for tours on the grounds, each offering complimentary photos.
As far as food goes, there’s options for everyone in the BBQ Pit, an area with a wide variety of pork options and vendors like The Sausage Haus and Island Noodles, which served Firefly fans and made a comeback this week for the country fans.
For the kids or young at heart, there’s a petting zoo, carnival games and 10 Budweiser Clydesdales on display.
“We brought the kids because it was advertised as a family-friendly event and so far it has been,” Skyler Sills of Dover said. He and his wife, Sarah brought their three children ages 2, 4 and 6.
“We take them with us everywhere so events like this where the whole family is welcome are great for us,” Ms. Sills said.
The endless puddles and muddy terrain that plagued Firefly were relieved Fridays after a few days baking in the heat and the filling in of puddles and low-lying areas with sand.
A stream of muck that had formed near the Firefly stage last week now has multiple wooden foot-bridges allowing guests to cross without sinking ankle-deep in the mud.
Although the mud has improved since Firefly ended, there may be a setback today as the National Weather Service is calling for heavy rain from around noon into the evening.
But unlike Firefly, Big Barrel guests are permitted to bring in soft-back folding chairs so guests can relax without sitting on the soggy ground if wet conditions do roll in.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m. today and Sunday.
A full schedule and lineup can be found online at bigbarrel.com.
