Country Thunder Arizona

All you country fans out there, it’s time to get back to your boots. Country Thunder is coming to town!

Country Thunder is an annual country music festival held in Florence, Arizona. The line-up is stacked with some of the most popular country artists today like Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, and Dierks Bentley ! It is a four-day (Thursday to Sunday) camping festival where attendees can stay in RVs, trailers or tents. There are 7,500 campsites to rent out, with various names like Roadrunner and Crazy Coyote (1) (2). It typically occurs during the first weeks of April, as last year's was April 11-14. About 29,000 people attend daily, according to the Arizona Republic (1). In 2018, Country Thunder Arizona won the ACM (Academy of Country Music) Festival of the Year Award (3).

Map of the Campsites

Map of the Venue

Ticket prices vary for this rootin tootin event. A four-day general admission ticket is $190 while a single-day general admission ticket is $75 (4). Tickets come in the form of wristbands (4). When I went last year, I purchased a parking pass for my car to stay overnight at the campground and that was $113. If you want to camp, you’ll have to find someone to sell you a campsite because they sell out immediately. People that have been attending for years repurchase their slot annually and then sell it to others. I went with my friend and paid my share of $150, but we were also renting an RV. If you find a campsite yourself, whether it be from one of the many Country Thunder Facebook groups or Craiglist, they can range from $350 - $1000 (4). Keep in mind that the price of a ticket, campsite, and parking pass are all separate from one another.

The Country Thunder festival and campground is approximately an hour away from Arizona State’s Tempe campus, according to Google Maps. Fortunately, there is a shuttle option for those lacking a car. It is called the Stagecoach Express Shuttle service and it offers round-trip bus service from Mesa and Apache Junction (4). The Mesa pickup point is only a 15-minute drive from campus resulting in an approximately $13 Uber. The shuttle service itself costs $35-39 (5). Click here for more information.

Fun Fact: Country Thunder is a rain or shine event! So be prepared to get a little dirt on your boots or a lot of mud depending on the weather!

Tips and Tricks

• Bring sunscreen

• Don’t forget your wristband

• Bring a sweater – when the sun goes down it gets chilly

• Bring a portable phone charger

• Pack lots of water – whether you leave it at camp or in your car [one unopened bottle per person is allowed into the venue (3)]

• Bring earplugs – they’ll save your ears during the concert or from the snoring neighbor next door

• Wear comfortable shoes – you will be walking around or standing on your feet all day

• For more tips and tricks click here

Country Thunder was an unforgettable experience. After hearing about it from friends for several years, I am glad I was finally able to experience it my spring semester, Junior year. If you are looking for a chance to kick the dust up, sing along to your favorite country songs and have a blast with your friends, Country Thunder is the place for you!