This month, you can head to a little slice of the country for some of the coolest country around.
Cerafest 2021, held each Saturday through August, will feature some of the better-known rising artists and also established performers in country music.
The concert series begins at 6 p.m. Saturday with Hoosier native Dylan Raymond at Ceraland Park, 3989 South County Road 525E, southeast of Columbus. Raymond’s sound has been influenced by the music of Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. He released his debut single, “Take it Slow,” in 2016 and it rose to No. 2 on the iTunes Country Pre-order Charts. His hit single “I Can Be That” landed on the iTunes Country Top 50.
Tickets are $10 per concert, with a $30 VIP ticket available that includes a drink ticket, front-of-stage seating and a meet-and-greet session.
Last year’s mix of four concerts drew a total of about 2,500 people, according to organizers. Nearly half that number came out for country-pop artist Clayton Anderson, a Bedford native and long well-known figure in the area.
Corey Behymer, Ceraland’s assistant executive director, said the concept is simple for the fourth annual concerts.
“This is all about giving people a good show while they’re just having a good time outdoors,” she said of the gatherings that unfold in an open field behind The Landing at the park.
Here’s a quick look at the rest of the lineup:
Aug. 14: Cody Ikerd and the Sidewinders. Among the favorite artists featured at Ceraland the past few years. In fact, this marks his fourth straight appearance at the park that he says is a great spot for shows.
Aug. 21: Whey Jennings and the local Night Owl Country Band. If you use the surname Jennings and country music in the same sentence, need you say anything else? Ceraland crowds know both Jennings and Night Owl quite well.
Aug. 28: Clayton Anderson. The former Indiana University student remains popular at Bloomington nightspots and elsewhere. His latest single is “Only Us.”
