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 — At Big Barrel Country Music Festival, the uniform Saturday was a rain poncho.
To help navigate the mud on the grounds, organizers had set up bridges and filled puddles in with sand.
After going to Firefly Music Festival last weekend, Amy Hampton, who lives in Dover, said Big Barrel felt more like “a country fair.”
“I like the family feel,” Ms. Hampton said. She brought her 4-year-old daughter to Big Barrel, who was jubilantly splashing in puddles near the entrance.
The rain definitely didn’t bring the family down.
“This is her favorite thing to do,” Ms. Hampton said, laughing at her daughter.
“It’s interesting to come in on the ground floor of the festival,” she said.
Myrial Uhde and Brici Caers, from Smyrna, also attended Firefly and they agreed Big Barrel was a change — “different crowds, different music,” Ms. Caers said.
Soulful singer-songwriter Sam Lewis kicked off the music at the covered Wildwood Stage on Saturday, where people chatted and swayed beneath the pavilion.
Unlike Firefly, which was held on the same grounds June 18-21, the crowds were smaller and many families came out to enjoy the music.
Big Barrel offered a variety of kid-friendly activities.
Some children made their way out onto the dance floor at the Harvest Moon Dance Hall, where experts and amateurs alike practiced turning and stepping to the music.
At The Stable, a petting zoo, big-eyed goats snuggled together under a tent. Piglets nibbled treats from visitors’ hands.
Nearby at The Patch, a covered family area with games and activities, children played with toy horseshoes sets or colored pictures.
That’s where Jason and D’lorah Sutfin were sitting on Saturday afternoon.
They brought their children, ages 6, 9, 12 and 14 to the festival with them, where they have been camping since Thursday.
“Having the kids zone here to get away…is nice,” Mr. Sutfin said.
As for the rain, he and his daughter embraced it and danced on picnic tables.
