Country stars set to descend on Parker Hill

Hundreds of acres of former pastureland - now known as Parker Hill - will become the site where thousands of people are expected to converge for two days of pure country music bliss.

The Sticks Country Music Festival will bring a cross section of country music’s top and up-and-coming artists and hordes of music fans to town Friday and Saturday.

Whiskey Falls will kick off the festival at 4:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Mark Chesnutt, Craig Morgan and Rodney Atkins.

The first night will end with headliner Gretchen Wilson taking the stage at 10 p.m. Minutes before Wilson begins her set, former Auburn University head football coach Pat Dye will be presented a special award.

Adam Grant & Robert E. will open the second day of the event at 11 a.m., followed by Shenandoah, Granger Smith, Chuck Wicks, Ashton Shepherd, Julianne Hough, Jason Michael Carroll and Diamond Rio.

Sara Evans and Trace Adkins will be the main acts for the Saturday concert. Evans will take the stage at 8:15 p.m. and Adkins at 10 p.m.

Jim Seales, lead guitar player and vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning group Shenandoah, and the other band members want to do their part to support the event.

“Country music needs more festivals like this,” Seales said by telephone from his home in Muscle Shoals, where he teaches guitar to students of all ages. “This will be a great way to, hopefully, establish a new festival.”

Seales will also be able to visit family when he’s in town. His future stepson, Johnathan Knight, and his family live in Auburn. In fact, Knight was the one who first told Seales about the festival.

Spectators will have access to free wireless Internet and can set up tents - free of charge - to spend Friday night at Parker Hill. Recreation vehicles and campers must pay an additional fee.

All general admission seating will be along the sloping hills on the grounds. Coolers will be allowed, but pets and glass containers will not.

Trailers with restrooms and showers will be available, along with food and beverages, alcoholic and nonalcoholic.

Event producer David Adams said people in 35 states and Belgium have purchased passes so far.

For many people, the event can provide a temporary escape from the worries of everyday living in the midst of the current recession, Seales said.

“Just come out and relax,” he said. “Take a break from all the stress from life and just for a little while enjoy fellowship.”