GoldenSky Country Music Festival expands to three days after large 2023 crowds

The GoldenSky Country Music Festival will expand to three days after strong attendance from this year’s two-day event, festival organizers announced Tuesday.

Headliners were also announced for the three-day festival that will take place from Oct. 18-20 in Sacramento’s Discovery Park. Keith Urban will take top billing on Oct.18, followed by Thomas Rhett on Oct 19 and Luke Bryan on Oct. 20.

The decision to add a third day comes after GoldenSky attracted around 60,000 people this year, said Chamie McCurry, chief marketing officer at festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents.

“The strong attendance this year made us feel confident that we could add a third day,” McCurry said.

Surveys were also handed out to attendees and a majority said they wanted a third day. The festival in 2024 will feature more than 35 performers over the three days, McCurry said.

The 2024 festival will be the third for GoldenSky. In its first year, it attracted 50,000 people.

Sacramento tourism officials have been pushing to build GoldenSky into a bigger event. The festival comes right after Aftershock, the four-day rock and heavy metal festival that attracted 160,000 people in 2023 and resulted in sold-out hotel accommodations in Sacramento.

Aftershock started out as a one-day festival in 2012 and has grown over the years.

Mike Testa, President & CEO of Visit Sacramento, said back in October that GoldenSky has attracted mostly locals so far, but he hoped that it could come bigger and eventually attract more visitors to the Sacramento region.

McCurry said adding a third day will help tourism expansion because fans from out-of-town will be more likely to attend when the festival is longer.

Visit Sacramento has estimated both Aftershock and GoldenSky pump $40 million into the local economy.

This story was originally published December 13, 2023 at 5:00 AM.