Carrie Underwood is returning to Ottawa this summer for the first time since her husband Mike Fisher was traded by the Ottawa Senators to the Nashville Predators. Nashville also happens to be Underwood’s hometown.
Artists such as Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, and Underwood will be performing in Ottawa from Aug. 11-13.
With a star-studded lineup, the Capital Hoedown country music festival will take place this summer at LeBreton Flats.
This summer, Capital Hoedown is set to be the biggest country music festival in North America, organizers say, with up to 45,000 people expected each day.
Last summer’s hoedown took place at the Rideau Carleton Raceway. But the land allocated for this year’s hoedown would need to be leveled out and half the trees would need to be removed. Concert International organizer, Denis Benoit, said in an email that with the entertainment lineup as big as it is this upcoming summer, they could not take any chances on the location.
Benoit says they chose LeBreton Flats because it is a site people are familiar with, is easily accessible by public transit and offers the capacity they need.
“There’s no doubt in my mind it’s going to do really well,” says Benoit.
LeBreton Flats will also host the Children’s Festival, Bluesfest and the Reggae Festival this summer.
Hoedown organizers will have access to the venue for at least five days before to set up and two days after to tear down the stages.
Adding the Capital Hoedown to the park’s summer lineup won’t hurt the landscape either because events are scheduled in a way that allows the gardens to be serviced between events says Jasmine Leduc, a spokesperson for the NCC.
Breanna Bizeau says she attended Cavendish Beach music festival in Prince Edward Island last summer and loved every minute. While making plans for this summer, she realized the best and biggest acts were heading to the hoedown.
Bizeau and her girlfriends bought their festival tickets and plan to travel to Ottawa.
“A few years ago, Carrie Underwood came to our local arena, and she was amazing, so it will be great to see her again,” she explains.