Johnny Grimes and Chad Johnson, co-creators of Iron Hills, announced the first-ever major country music festival to be held in Birmingham.
Iron Hills will be held at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark on Oct. 11 and 12, and country music stars like Turnpike Troubadours, Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen, and Travis Tritt will take the stage.
“From an aesthetic standpoint, you don’t get much better of a vibe for a country music festival than Sloss Furnaces,” Grimes said.
Grimes and Johnson are the co-owners of another music festival in Birmingham called Furnace Fest, a rock and roll and indie rock festival that has been in action for five years after a 17-year hiatus.
“One of the things that sets our festivals apart is we not only focus on the music, which is a vitally important aspect of all music festivals, but we focus on the experience,” Grimes said. “We want people who come to have an incredible time from start to finish.”
Twenty-two artists and bands will perform at the festival alongside other activities, including a Smokeshow Rodeo being led by UA alum Riley Catherine.
“One of the toughest parts of bringing Iron Hills to life was booking the lineup,” Grimes said. “My partner and talent buyer, Josh Williams, spent months working through negotiations, scheduling challenges and industry hurdles to make it happen. His dedication and expertise were key to securing a lineup that will make Iron Hills a must-see event.”
Tickets for the event start at $149, and any questions about permitted items, accessibility and policies can be found on the festival’s website.
“To be able to represent the country music family is just key. This is primarily where a lot of the stuff takes place in our state, and so it’s just really cool to be able to represent that genre of music,” Grimes said.
