For singer-songwriter Brian Kelley this weekend’s Country 500 in Daytona Beach is much more than just another music festival — it’s a homecoming celebration.
“This really does feel like a hometown show,” said Kelley of the country duo Florida Georgia Line. “We’ve been working really hard to get to this point and we just want to make everybody proud.”
Kelley was born in Ormond Beach, not far from the Daytona International Speedway, where the inaugural Memorial Day weekend festival will be held Friday through Sunday, May 27-29.
Florida Georiga Line played a short set at the speedway before the Daytona 500 in February, but this concert will feature their full touring production, pyrotechnics and all.
“I can’t wait to see tons of family and friends,” said Kelley, calling from his home in Nashville, Tenn. “I’ve already been on the phone with quite a few of them over the past couple of weeks and they’re all excited.” Several family members still live in the area including his father, Ed Kelley, the mayor of Ormond Beach.
Florida Georgia Line will be the headliner Saturday night, hitting the main stage after sets by Kid Rock and Willie Nelson. The weekend will feature nearly 40 acts including some of the biggest names in country music: Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum and Dwight Yoakam.
One of the up-and-coming acts is West Palm Beach native Brooke Eden, who will perform at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m getting to perform with some of these artists that I really look up to and respect,“ said Eden, 25. “It’s a really incredible place to be in my life and I’m definitely not taking that for granted.”
Eden will release her debut EP this summer and uses exposure from major festivals to help fans discover her music.
Quint Davis is one of the driving forces behind Country 500. The festival’s producer worked with his business partners for the last two years to bring this production to life.
“This is one of the most important and iconic venues in America and they haven’t had a big music festival like this before,” he said.
Davis admits there are many challenges with organizing a new music festival, but this is far from his first rodeo. He has produced several outdoor concerts including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which he co-founded in 1970.
The Country 500 festival has been modeled after the New Orleans fest, which Davis says hosts around 500,000 concertgoers over seven days.
The speedway staff and organization were a “huge advantage” in setting up in Daytona Beach, Davis said. “This is a set of people that are used to managing more than 200,000 people for a race.”
The venue also has thousands of campsites and other facilities that are essential for a multiday event.
Country 500 organizers aim to return every year, which could translate into a big economic boost for Volusia County. It also marks a focus by the speedway on bringing in non-racing events.
“The moment we really look for is when you first open the gates of a new festival,” Davis says. “When the people first come in and everything comes to life, that’s a really exciting moment.”
Country 500
What: The first outdoor country music festival at Daytona Beach Speedway.
When: May 27-29
Where: Daytona International Speedway, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach
Cost: $75 and up
Online: country500.com
