AUGUST 30, 2022
2022 Summer Salute Festival Breaks Attendance Record
Event Dates Announced for 2023
Hopkinsville, KY – The award-winning Hopkinsville Summer Salute festival drew the largest two-day crowd in local festival history as an estimated 31,000 people boogied into downtown Hopkinsville for the 6th annual event.
Previous attendance records were set in 2017 (33,000) when the festival was a 3-day event, Diamond Rio was the headliner, and the Solar Eclipse attracted visitors. The previous 2-day record was in 2019 when Joe Diffie headlined the festival with an estimated crowd of 30,000. Last year’s event with country star Travis Tritt brought in approximately 24,000 people following 2020’s cancellation due to COVID.
With 70s sensation KC and the Sunshine Band headlining on Saturday night, local residents and visitors from as far away as Canada flocked to Hoptown for the electrifying show and danced the night away to the band’s multiple Top 10 hits. Canada native Cassandra, an independent artist in Nashville, opened for KC on the Main Stage. The festival exceeded its goal with over 100 merchants and food vendors, an expanded Kids Zone, and three free concerts. Crowds enjoyed local favorites, The Jimmy Church Band and The Jason Montgomery Band, on the Bluegrass Beverage stage sponsored by Huhtamaki and WRND/Rewind 94.3.
“The attendance and atmosphere for this year’s Hopkinsville’s Summer Salute were both record-setting,” said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tab Brockman. “Thanks to all the city and county departments and agencies that pitched in working together to make Summer Salute a night of joy for Hopkinsville, Christian County, and the entire region. Saturday night’s KC and the Sunshine Band concert will be a night many will remember for a long time in Hoptown. Our award-winning Parks and Rec team stepped up huge once again to put all the various pieces together for Summer Salute. Thank you to our fabulous sponsors, and to Hoptown for showing up and showing out – cause that’s the way we like it, uh huh!”
The Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation team is looking ahead and beginning work on 2023’s festival, which will be held August 25-26. Vendor registrations will open on February 1st. Full information, including announcement of the 2023 headliner, can be found at HoptownSummerSalute.com.