Drake White’s First-Ever Loblolly Fest Set For Oct. 17 In Alabama

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Drake White. Photo: Zack Knudsen

Drake White is hosting the first-ever Loblolly Fest on Oct. 17 at The Bluff Amphitheater in his hometown of Hokes Bluff, Alabama.

A homegrown festival with a heavy dose of Southern hospitality, Loblolly Fest will feature performances from White, The Marshall Tucker Band, Randy Houser, Kassi Ashton, and more. The festival takes place on a piece of land with deep ties to White’s childhood, as he was raised in a home just behind what is now The Bluff Amphitheater. He first stumbled across the property while exploring the woods as a kid, and today, he’s a co-owner of the newly-revived venue, with dreams of transforming it into a destination centered on music, community, and connection.

“I grew up in the shadows of Muscle Shoals, ’90s Country, and the music that played in my mama’s beauty shop. That music has always been in my soul, and, miraculously, in my backyard,” says White. “After spending years in the music business, I realized that if there wasn’t a festival that felt like home to me, I wanted to build one. So my team and I decided to make our own.”

Named for the loblolly pines that blanket the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Alabama, Loblolly Fest is built to channel the easygoing atmosphere of a fall weekend in the South. Adding another layer to that experience, the festival will feature The Grove — an all-new outdoor sports-bar area where TVs will play that day’s college football games all throughout the afternoon and evening.

“Loblolly Fest is bonfires, bourbon, flannel, cold beer, dancing, and good music. But more than anything, it’s community,” says White. “I want Loblolly to have that wide-open, come-as-you-are spirit: no judgment, everybody’s welcome. If you love music, love people, and want to have a damn good time, come on. We’re building something here that we hope becomes a tradition — a place where we can come back year after year, and make memories worth repeating.”

A portion of proceeds from Loblolly Fest will support The Benefit For The Brain: a nonprofit White founded to raise funds and awareness for charitable organizations devoted to mental and brain health. Four years after suffering an onstage stroke that led to his diagnosis with arteriovenous malformation, White hosted the inaugural “Benefit For The Brain” concert in 2023 that raised over $250,000, with a lineup including Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, and Colbie Caillat. Fiercely committed to advancing the conversation around mental and brain health, White will host the third installment of “Benefit For The Brain” on Nov. 16, once again bringing the charity concert to the Ryman.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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