Country Thunder, North America’s leading country music festival, made its highly anticipated debut in Tampa, FL with a weekend full of superstar headliners, rising talent, line dancing, delicious eats and nonstop fun. From sunup to sundown, the 2025 event brought the heat for an unforgettable three-day celebration of country music featuring headliners Riley Green, Blake Shelton and Jelly Roll.
Fans came from near and far to attend this year’s festival which was held on the grounds just outside the Raymond James Stadium from May 2-4. Day one kicked off strong with rising stars Kevin Smiley, Abby Anderson, Owen Riegling and Dillon Carmichael, warming up the crowds with their feel-good anthems and authentic storytelling.
By the time ACM New Female Artist of the Year Ella Langley and Riley Green hit the stage for their respective sets, the energy was electric as the crowd sang every word and danced their hearts out.
Langley packed in fan-favorites off her latest project like “Weren’t For The Wind,” “Better Be Tough,” “Nicotine,” “20-20,” “Paint The Town Blue” and more before Green stepped out with his own collection of fast-rising tracks.
He kicked things off with his No. 1 hit, “Different ‘Round Here,” and kept the energy high with “Damn Good Day To Leave,” “Half Of Me” and more. In the midst of his set, Green traded his baseball cap for a cowboy hat and paid tribute to the late Toby Keith with classics such as “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)” and “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” during which he welcomed Dillon Carmichael back to the stage.
Riley Green And Ella Langley Surprised With ACM Win
A big highlight of the night came following his performance of the hit duet, “You Look Like You Love Me” with Ella Langley when the pair of artists were surprised with a very special video message from Reba McEntire. The country music icon informed them they had just won ACM Visual Media of the Year for their collaboration ahead of the 2025 award show.
“Reba? What?” Langley said with shock in her voice before giving a special shoutout to the music video directors, John Park and Wales Toney.
As the first of three nights concluded, many concert goers headed out to get a good night’s sleep before day two, however, those who weren’t ready to call it a day headed inside the Electric Thunder tent for a rowdy afterparty hosted by DJ Griffin Green.
Day Two Brought Heartfelt Stories And Rowdy Sing-Alongs
As soon as the gates opened at noon on Saturday, fans began to flood inside the grounds, making their way to the other experiences and branded activities the festival had to offer before the first artist of the day, Angie K, kicked things off.
The Kentucky Headhunters, Bayker Blankenship and Chayce Beckham followed Angie K’s performance, setting the tone for the night’s biggest acts, Jake Owen and Blake Shelton. Owen, being a Florida native, expressed the utmost pride for getting to perform in his home state and made sure to treat the crowd to a high-energy set of tunes that rounded out with his final delivery – “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.”
“Anytime I get to come back to the sunny homeland of Florida, it’s always really fulfilling and being here tonight with Blake Shelton, you get the Blake and Jake show,” Owen joked in an interview with Country Now before predicting, “we’re gonna have fun.”
Blake Shelton Owned The Stage
For nearly 90 minutes, Shelton made the stage his own, showcasing his signature charm and powerhouse vocals while effortlessly blending party anthems like his collaboration with Post Malone, “Pour Me A Drink,” and “Texas” with heartfelt tracks including “Nobody But You” and “Honey Bee.” The Oklahoma native also took a trip back in time to celebrate timeless country music with a medley of classics like George Strait’s “All My Ex’s Live In Texas.”
“I’m absolutely honored to have been here singing for you guys tonight. Thank you so much for having us, everybody. I love this place, man,” he yelled to the massive crowd.
Shelton’s set felt like a backyard hangout with thousands of your closest friends, serving as a reminder of why he remains one of country music’s biggest stars.
Emerging Acts And Country Hitmakers Set The Tone For The Night
Even on the final day of the festival, fans were showing no sign of slowing down. They braved the heat to catch performances from emerging acts Nolan Sotillo and Dallas Smith, as well as rising hitmaker, Drew Baldridge and country music legend, Clint Black.
Ashley McBryde used up the last bit of sun in the day to give fans an unforgettable golden hour set full of honesty, humor, and her powerhouse vocals elevated by her talented bandmates. Prior to taking the stage, the songstress told Country Now that for each of her 2025 festival sets “everyone’s bringing their own dish.”
Expanding further she shared, “Each festival is a potluck…all we have to do is compliment the meal. That’s how to best serve the bands and best serve the festival. If everybody brings mash potatoes, we’re all gonna be bored. But if some of us bring a nice salad, it might be refreshing…plus then you get to say ‘we served,’” she added.
There’s no denying that McBryde “served” with her stacked setlist of “Never Will,” “Ain’t Enough Cowboys,” the hilarious “Brenda Put Your Bra On,” “The Devil I Know” and more.
Jelly Roll Brough Pyro, High Energy And Unforgettable Memories
Then, it was time for Jelly Roll to make his grand entrance. He closed out the festival in style, complete with pyrotechnics, special on-stage moments with fans, a whole lot of cowboy hats in the air and the rowdiest energy of the weekend.
He evoked a massive sing-along that lasted the entire duration of his 90-minute set — running through fan-favorites like “Country Roads Take Me Home,” “Son of a Sinner,” “I Am Not Okay,” and “Winning Streak.”
At one point, he brought out Drew Baldridge for an unforgettable rendition of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places,” and later invited a few young fans on stage to help sing in a dream-come-true moment they’ll never forget.
He capped the night with an epic encore featuring powerful deliveries of “Need a Favor” and “Save Me,” leaving the crowd on a high note.
“God bless the troops, God bless country music, God bless America, God bless Country Thunder, baby” he said as sparks flew around him
The show ended with fireworks lighting up the sky and fans already talking about next year.
Shopping, Tattoos, Delicious Food & more
Country Thunder Tampa had a something for everyone. Along with all the incredible music, attendees had plenty to explore – from carnival rides to pop-up vendors selling cowboy hats, clothing, and crave-worthy bites, surprise meet & greets and more. Plus, Inside the Electric Thunder tent, fans could catch intimate songwriter rounds, take part in Dancing With The Thunder partner and line dance competitions, or simply cool off in the shaded area.
The merch tents also offered plenty of items for guests to take home in memory of their time at Country Thunder, but those looking for a more permeant souvenir took advantage of the onsite mobile tattoo parlor.
While this is Country Thunder’s first time hosting the festival in Tampa, it’s nothing new to the Sunshine State. For the last few years, the event was held in Kissimmee, however Hurricane Milton forced the organizers to make a change and find a new home in Tampa.
With a 21-year legacy, Country Thunder Music Festivals has grown into one of the most recognized names in country music events. In addition to its recent Florida stop, the brand hosts five other major multi-day festivals across North America, including in Wisconsin, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
Drawing in more than 625,000 fans annually, these festivals bring together a wide range of country music lovers from across the U.S. and Canada to experience top-tier talent and unforgettable fan experiences.
The next Coutnry Thunder festival will take place July 10-13 in Saskatchewan.
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