On the grounds of the beautiful Discovery Park in Sacramento, California, the third annual Golden Sky country music festival hosted over 75,000 people in perfect fall weather. Bringing country music loving people of all ages together, many amazing headlining acts such as Keith Urban, who headlined Friday night, Thomas Rhett, Saturday night, and Luke Bryan, Sunday night, as well as other equally talented acts, Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman, The Turnpike Troubadours, SHABOOZEY and Hannah Ellis, to name a few, performed over the weekend, putting on an overall amazing festival. Every act brought something different, showcasing their talent and entertaining their fans over this country music packed “three day weekend.”

Getting to the festival

There were plenty of parking lots around the festival within walking distance of each entrance. No matter when you arrived, there were signs on the streets surrounding, leading you to the nearest parking area. They also offered ADA parking closer to the second entrance of the festival for those who were not able to walk far distances. Overall, the festival grounds were easy to find, thanks to the parking team at Golden Sky.

Safety 

The security at both entrances were very thorough but moved quickly, allowing fans to get to the stage to see their favorite artists. Throughout the weekend, security, as well as local law enforcement, were on site at all times, making sure that Golden Sky remained an enjoyable and safe environment for fans. Onsite medical personnel were also there the entire weekend, attending to anyone who was in need of medical assistance without hesitation. 

Food

The vendors at Golden Sky had a huge variety of food to choose from, from classic barbecue to dumplings and burritos. Being that there were so many different choices of food, there was something for everyone. Of course there were favorites, such as the corn dog vendor, as well as the chicken tenders and fries, with the longest lines over the weekend. Though there were close to 75,000 attendees over the weekend, every vendor provided the best service, trying to work as fast and smoothly as possible for their customers. 

Ambiance

The layout of this festival was near perfect, providing two stages, which had staggering set times, making it so you could see every artist that was on the lineup, and eliminating fans having to choose between artists. This also made it so there was never downtime between sets. Each set started right after one another, providing constant music, from doors opening on Friday, to closing on Sunday night.

Not only were there live performances every second over the three day festival, there was line dancing in the River City Dance Hall and Saloon just a walk away from the Visit Sacramento stage. This pop up Saloon and dance hall provided the most popular line dancing songs, line dancing lessons, drinks, and good vibes all weekend. The dance hall was packed with smiling, country loving line dancers, and was a perfect addition to Golden Sky. In the surrounding areas, there were yard games such as corn hole, where attendees could play with their friends and family. As well as games, one of the vendors had a karaoke set up, where anybody could sign up to show off their skills. And for the memories, posing for pictures with headliners was made easy, thanks to the giant posters of Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, and Luke Bryan.

The GA pits were filled with people of all ages, and united everyone, watching their favorite artists. For those who preferred a lower profile, they were able to set up their blankets, and blow up couches and chairs further back, still being able to watch the acts on the giant screens. There were also speakers that were towards the back of the grass area, providing sound for those who were far back from the stage. This made for people to be able to relax and enjoy the music from wherever they felt most comfortable. 

VIP 

The VIP section was packed with country lovers enjoying all of the perks that came with being in VIP. Unlike in the GA pit of both stages where fans had to walk all the way around the VIP section to get to either stage, fans in the VIP section had easy access to the VIP pit at both stages where they could stand to watch their favorite artists. Next to the pit, on both stages, there was a little hill where people set up their blankets to sit and get comfortable, but still be relatively close to the stages.

The VIP area had plenty of different private bars, as well as standing tables, lounging couches, and seated tables. This created an environment for people to relax and enjoy the festival. Also, not only did they have port-a-potties, but they had nice bathrooms inside of RV trailers with full sinks and mirrors. Also, in the back corner of the VIP section, there were food vendors where the lines were much shorter than they were in the GA section. With all of these things included, it is a no brainer on why people upgraded and bought VIP tickets to Golden Sky. 

Attendee Opinion

Fans who attended all three years said that this year was the best it’s ever been. After talking to many people in the VIP pit, they shared that their go to used to be Stagecoach, a country festival in Indio, California, but after attending the first year of Golden Sky, they were hooked, and wanted to come every year. They said that the vibes at Golden Sky were like no other country festival that they have ever been to. Many others agreed. Being that there was something for everyone, fans were able to enjoy the festival no matter what they were doing. More specifically, fans loved the layout of the festival, the dance hall, the bars, the vibes, and of course the amazing artists that were playing.

Golden Sky is THE country festival

This event was overall amazing. Everything about it, from the moment you walked through security, was perfect. Being that it was held over the weekend of October 18-20, the weather was cool and comfortable, and could not have been on a better weekend. Golden Sky, bringing country music lovers together in one place, made it feel like one giant family, including everyone there in the experience. The staff, performers, first responders, and everyone involved made this event possible, and it is thanks to them for making this such a memorable weekend. Without them, Golden Sky would not be Golden Sky. If you ever get a chance to attend this event, know that you will not be disappointed. Golden Sky is THE country festival of California.

Photos by Lexi Alley, MillzFilmz, Jake Miller and Steve Thrasher