Rock the South 2024 tickets, parking, schedule, camping: What to know

Ready for Rock the South 2024? If you’re a newcomer to the country festival in Alabama, here’s what you need to know. And veterans, it’s time to go over the details, to make sure your festival experience goes smoothly.

The basics

When: Thursday-Saturday, July 18-20. (For the record, the festival’s official name is Pepsi Rock the South.)

Where: York Farms, 1872 County Road 469 in Cullman. The site is about 50 miles north of Birmingham, and a straight shot on I-65.

Parking opens: 12 p.m. daily

Gates open: 3 p.m. daily.

Lineup: Seventeen acts are set to perform at the festival, including headliners Eric Church, Jelly Roll and Hardy. The lineup also includes Dee Jay Silver, who’ll spin tunes between sets and get the crowd dancing with mashups.

Special guest: Haliey Welch, the social media celebrity known as the “Hawk Tuah girl,” is set to be at the festival on Friday, July 19. She’ll be doing meet-and-greets with fans, according to Rock the South’s social media, but it’s unclear if Welch will appear on stage.

Thursday music schedule

• Kidd G, 4 p.m.
• Wyatt Flores, 4:55 p.m.
• Priscilla Block, 6:10 p.m.
• Warren Zeiders, 7:40 p.m.
• Jelly Roll, 9:40 p.m.

Friday music schedule

• Gavin Adcock, 4 p.m.
• Big & Rich featuring Gretchen Wilson, 4:55 p.m.
• Nelly, 6:10 p.m.
• Oliver Anthony, 7:40 p.m.
• Hardy, 9:40 p.m.

Saturday music schedule

• Alana Springsteen, 3:30 p.m.
• Treaty Oak Revival, 4:05 p.m.
• Nate Smith, 4:55 p.m.
• Flatland Cavalry, 6:10 p.m.
• Parker McCollum, 7:40 p.m.
• Eric Church, 9:40 p.m.

Tickets, parking, camping

Tickets: Three-day general admission costs $149.99. Three-day VIP tickets are $449.99. Front Porch Seating is $899.99. Tickets to the Country Club Skydeck cost $1,999.99. Admission is free for kids age 2 and younger. See details on each ticket level here. Prices for some tickets may increase as the festival dates get closer.

Parking: $90 for three-day pass.

Car camping: $299, first come, first served. Check in Wednesday at 4 p.m. and leave Sunday by noon. Tent camping only, no access to electricity, includes complimentary access to showers and bathrooms. No pets allowed. $50 to park extra vehicle. Price doesn’t include festival ticket. More info here.

RV camping: $750, $1,350 with a power hookup. Check in starts Wednesday at 4 p.m., leave Sunday by noon. No pets allowed. Price doesn’t include festival ticket. An RV drop-off pass is $35 and allows early access to the campground on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. More info here.

Theme days

If you’re dressing to impress at the festival, you might want to know about this year’s themes for fashion. Thursday’s theme is Party in the USA. Friday’s theme is Duck Calls and Overalls. Saturday’s theme is Coastal Cowboy.

Other things to know

Coming and going: Wristbands are provided at the gate and must be worn on site. Once inside the park, you cannot leave and re-enter the festival that day, unless you have a car camping or RV wristband. This year’s wristbands are RFID (radio-frequency identification). This means festivalgoers can register their wristbands with credit card information for tap-to-pay options at vendors. Organizers also said RFID wristbands make gate entry go more smoothly.

Seating: Bring folding chairs and blankets in the GA area. “Seating is available in the Front Porch and The Country Club sections, along with the VIP tents,” the festival website says.

Weather: “The festival generally takes place rain or shine,” the Rock the South website says. “In the event of severe weather conditions, such as lightning, hail, or other elements, the festival organizers collaborate with the Cullman Emergency Management Agency to establish and execute plans that prioritize the safety of attendees, volunteers, sponsors, and vendors. This coordination includes working closely with meteorologists and local EMS to determine the necessity of potential evacuations or other safety measures.”

Prohibited items: Umbrellas, tents, pets, coolers, fireworks, laser pointers, professional cameras, chains/chain wallets and weapons are not allowed. No outside food or drink is allowed.

Bag policy: There’s no clear bag policy, but all bags are subject to search. “For the safety of all festival attendees, we will conduct bag searches and require everyone to pass through metal detectors upon entry into the festival,” the Rock the South website says. See the FAQs here.

More on Rock the South

Background: Rock the South started off small in 2012, with a single-day lineup at Cullman’s Heritage Park that featured Dierks Bentley, Kellie Pickler, Brent Cobb and Jon Pardi. The festival changed significantly in 2013, when the new team of organizers replaced the City of Cullman and its parks department. Sara Evans and Jay Barker were co-owners of the festival from 2013 to 2015, along with Cullman concert promoter Shane Quick. The couple made a break with the festival in 2016, but Quick continued as an owner and key organizer, teaming with Nathan Baugh of 46 Entertainment.

Rock the South moved from Heritage Park to York Farms in 2019, expanding its footprint to about 140 acres. The festival experienced some growing pains in 2019, with the advent of a new site. Moving to the acreage off Cullman County 469 caused prolonged traffic snarls, delays and frustrations for fans on roads leading into the festival. The new location was meant to accommodate the growing crowds and allow for camping, RV parking and more on-site parking. Organizers pledged to listen to complaints, improve the traffic flow and make things better for festivalgoers.

The festival was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but returned in 2021 for its ninth year and continued in 2022 and 2023 for Years 10 and 11. Rock the South will present its 12th festival in 2024.

READ: Rock the South 2023: Record-breaking crowds love America, beer, country music

Previous acts include: Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Alabama, Luke Combs, Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert, Zach Bryan, Little Big Town, Florida Georgia Line, Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, Thomas Rhett, Hank Williams Jr., Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, Alan Jackson, The Band Perry, Sara Evans, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. Despite its name, the the festival has leaned to country music of various types, mixed with some Southern rock.

RELATED: Rock the South: 20 big stars who played at the music festival in Alabama

Good to know: Two headliners announced for 2024, Eric Church and Hardy, have performed at Rock the South in the past. Church played at the festival in 2018 and was set to return in 2020, but that year’s event was canceled during the coronavirus pandemic. Hardy appeared at Rock the South in 2022, delighting the crowd when he autographed a prosthetic leg for a fan who passed the artificial limb up to the stage during his set.

Giving back: Rock the South has raised more than $600,000 or for area charities during its tenure, according to the festival website. Beneficiaries have included Cullman City Parks and Recreation, Children’s of Alabama, The Link of Cullman County and more.

Connect: Rock the South posts updates on its website, Facebook page, Instagram page and TikTok.