GoldenSky Country Music Festival will not happen this year

Sacramento’s largest country music festival will not be returning this year, officials said Thursday.

Mike Testa, president and CEO of tourism bureau Visit Sacramento, said part of the reason that GoldenSky Country Music Festival will not be returning is an oversaturation of country music festivals. That is making it more difficult to attract larger country names to the lineup.

The festival also posted on Facebook confirming the postponement, but said it plans for “an even bigger and better return in 2026.”

“This wasn’t an easy decision, but we’re committed to delivering the best possible festival experience for our GoldenSky community, the post read. “While we’ll miss gathering with you this year, this isn’t goodbye—it’s just a short break before we come back in 2026 with a festival two years in the making!”

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GoldenSky’s absence this year is expected to lead to an estimated $10 million loss for Sacramento, Testa said.

Country-themed bars and restaurants in Sacramento told KCRA they were shocked to hear the news.

“Golden Sky afterparty is like Goldfield’s Super Bowl. Like, it’s one of our best nights,” said Ricky Gall the manager of Goldfield Trading Post in Midtown Sacramento.

Stoney’s Rockin’ Rodeo is less than three miles from the festival grounds. Manager Evan Iverson also told KCRA that the festival not returning this year is a huge blow to business. They say they would average nearly 1,000 patrons a night during the festival weekend.

“We almost double our numbers typically on that weekend. We’re just so conveniently located for them and we’re a country bar. Missing out on Golden Sky, it’s going to be a bummer. But, you know, we always we always bounce back,” said Iverson.

The festival, which takes place at Discovery Park, appeared to have been expanding as it extended its runtime to three days in 2024. Organizers anticipated more than 75,000 attendees last year.

Some of the major names brought on by GoldenSky included Keith Urban, Turnpike Troubadours, Elle King, Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan and Colbie Caillat.

In 2024, organizers also held a competition for unsigned singers and bands to get a chance to perform as an opening act for the festival. Sacramento-area band burke. won that competition, while the other finalists performed sets at Goldfield Trading Post, a popular midtown bar for country lovers.

Details were not released on if GoldenSky will return in 2026.

The same organizers who put on GoldenSky also put on Aftershock, a festival that brings in mostly hard rock and metal acts but recently has also brought on music groups and performers of different genres.

This is the second major music festival to either delay or cancel. Sol Blume, a destination festival for live R&B and hip-hop music, remains in limbo on whether it will happen this year.

Sol Blume organizers cited complications from storm damages as a reason for postponing the event. The festival promised would-be attendees either refunds or vouchers and pass upgrades. Catch up on that story here.

KCRA 3 has repeatedly tried to reach out to Sol Blume organizers, and we have not heard back as of this writing.

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