They're bringing the country music heat to Birmingham, Alabama this fall.
Local country music radio station 102.5 The Bull and iHeart Country are teaming up to bring a brand new music festival to the Iron City, and based on the recent lineup announcement, it has the potential to be one of the best festivals of 2025.
Called the Iron Hills Country Music Festival, this two day event is scheduled for the weekend of October 11-12, 2025 and is set to take place at the Sloss Furnaces, a National Historic Landmark in the city. With two days of top-tier country music, the lineup runs the gamut of country music subgenres, including everything from Texas/Red Dirt, bluegrass and 90s country, to up and coming mainstream Nashville acts, offering something for every type of country music fan out there.
With a total of 22 acts slated to play the festival, and a presumed emphasis on the Texas and Red Dirt side of things, the first night is headlined by Red Dirt's biggest act in the Turnpike Troubadours, who have solidified their throne atop the genre after selling out arenas and headlining festival after festival over the past two years. The next night, Ryan Bingham will take the stage backed by The Texas Gentleman, offering a prime opportunity to catch one of country music's most elusive acts live.
Joining Turnpike on the first night are 90s country legend Travis Tritt, Texas honky tonkers Midland, Birmingham's own up and coming jamgrass outfit Mountain Grass Unit, as well as Drew Baldridge, Maggie Rose, Matt Stell, Dan Spencer, Smokeshow Rodeo, and two yet-to-be-announced artists that round out the second and third rows of the day's lineup.
On Night two, in addition to Bingham and The Texas Gentleman, the lineup features Chase Rice, another 90s country great in Jo Dee Messina, Dylan Marlowe, Eli Young Band, Conner Smith, Chayce Beckham, Kashus Culpepper, American Aquarium, Channing Wilson, and Tiera Kennedy.
Honestly, the only thing it is missing is Mobile, Alabama, natives Muscadine Bloodline.
What a lineup. Especially for the first installment of a festival.
Sloss Furnaces, where the event is located, operated as a pig iron-producing blast furnace for over nine decades from 1882-1971. Shortly after its closing, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark, and now, in addition to housing a museum, operates as an event site that hosts, among other things, an annual punk music festival. And now it is home to the Iron Hills Country Music Festival as well, of course.
Early bird tickets are on sale this Friday, so don't hesitate to get your tickets and be in the crowd for the inaugural installment of the festival, witnessing live performances from certified legends in the country music space.
If you need a little extra convincing, check out some of my favorite live performances on YouTube from a handful of the bands in this lineup. With this kind of star power, it's sure to be a party you won't want to miss in Birmingham come October.