Country Thunder Alberta

Had a wonderful time this year a Country Thunder 2023. Already have my tickets for next year.

It’s like whomever plans and manages these events has never gone to one themselves…Concerts good, venue poor. Spend SOME money on spraying the field for dust, please! …it’s absolutely awful with young people dancing and just the amount of dirt and dust being kicked up by the volume of people walking throughout the venue.

Generally I would say these events are great for families, but this venue is not. Prairie Winds was much more family friendly and provided grassy areas in the large amphitheatre for more enjoyable seating, viewing and enough room to avoid the drunk partiers.

I do love the location being more central and easier to access for the most part but the fact that something hasn’t been resolved for the surface in this large, outdoor concert venue in the last decade is absolutely insane. We had great weather but if it had rained it would have been a mud pit. It was easy to get in and out for admission. Easy to get drinks, food and washrooms are pretty far away, would be nice to have some washrooms located throughout Vs one huge zone. Platinum experience is not worth the cost, good standing views from many places.

First time at a Country Thunder and I have to say, it was amazing!
A few bumps, that were ironed out. But it's always the way with a massive undertaking, it isn't about the problem it's about the quality and timing of the fix.
Kindness from contractors and staff.
. Still in awe.
Thanks!

Platinum experience was good while it lasted. (At Prarie Winds). Now way too many tickets are being sold for this section and now it is definitely not a platinum experience. The whole idea was to be comfortably close to the artists, not wait in long drink lines, and not wait forever for a restroom. The restroom lines were insane! Girls were going in the men's washrooms constantly, leaving the men to wait, or feel very uncomfortable that they were pissing in
front of drunk women. Not fair to the men.
Add more washrooms and SELL LESS TICKETS to the platinum experience. Platinum concert goers are just being ripped off at this point. Be very interesting to see what the new platinum circle is like for over $700

Stop hosting these events downtown. Put it in a field in rural alberta somewhere. The noise is ridiculous.

The venue for 2022 is horrible! Dirty, dusty, and crowded. My husband and I and our family members who have attended the festival each year will not be buying tickets for next year if it is at Fort Calgary again. Very disappointed.

Please for the love of God do not host this event ever again in Fort Calgary. Who planned this disaster and thought it was a great idea to host it at Fort Calgary? ! Host it somewhere else and not disturbed literally everyone else.

Terrible event, and even worst location. Place and event in general is a mess on site and traffic getting to the location or surrounding area. What a headache for the residents of east village and surrounding area. Constant loud drunk people screaming and wandering into traffic or drunk people driving and people parking in random places where it’s clearly marked “Do not park, ” residents that live in the area circling their own parking spots for hours in order to find a spot so that they can go home to be trapped by loud awful noise until the terrible event is over.

Organize this event elsewhere.

Country Thunder 2022 venue (Fort Calgary) was not good. It's dirty, dusty and narrow, unlike West Winds where it has an open area and grass. Also this year it was definately not kid friendly due to the crowd.

They ran out of, coolers, seltzer and most beer and Coke. The said on Sunday they will only have bud, and bid light. Also the view was bad, I'm six foot 2 and I couldn't see the stage, unlike West Winds where I could see from most areas.

So badly organized it’s laughable. Line ups are out of control. So dusty and dirty it’s gross. The drink choices were pathetic. These people need to take some lessons from music festivals in the US. Performers were great, everything else was horrible.

Here for Country Thunder 2022 and gotta say a little disappointed. So happy with the line up but the sound is so low can barely hear what their saying. Love the town and the people are friendly and welcoming. Thanks for having us!

0. Intrusive event, and how can you support any event backed by someone like Rhett, attidude reflects the who even and those who go nicely. Speaking of Rhett I actually know you, little beta boy from Camrose. Hard to take a child living off daddy seriously. Kid's been whupped so many times hahahaha

Would give 0 stars if it was possible. I have gone to every year since Country Thunder came to Alberta and was extremely disappointed in the venue and terrible organization this year. You couldn’t hear the main stage from food and drink lines, which took forever. Running out of food and drinks, especially water during a heat warning for the city, is terrible! You couldn’t see the stage from anywhere except right beside it and if you wanted your own space, well you weren’t gonna get it. People were shoulder to shoulder basically everywhere in the entire venue. Will not be buying tickets to this ever again if it is at Fort Calgary.

Seriously worst experience of my life! Hopefully they made enough money this year to pay for the lack of booze, terrible sound system and porta potties next year! Because everyone I’ve talked to will not be returning. Ok line up but you can’t even hear what they’re saying, seriously needed subtitles. This all seems like it was thrown together over night. #woodstock99

Can't believe someone decided that holding a festival of this size right in downtown Calgary was a great idea.

Crazy to me all the bad reviews about this being downtown. This city literally changes laws for random events for drinking. This festival was great! If you don’t want all the amenities of dt living without having all the downtown experiences (ie festivals, noise, some inconveniences) move to the suburbs. 10/10 also Kaycee and Alexis in VIP killed it

Fights happening left right and centre. No signage of where to sit and where to stand. Everyone seems to be on edge and the security and staff are useless. Terrible venue, overpriced and bad sound system. Worst experience of my life. Morgan Wallen was the only upside. #neveragain

Hey, can you guys please keep it down?
- Every resident in surrounding neighborhoods for 11 hours a day Friday, Saturday and oh jesus also Sunday

The lineup of bands was excellent but the facilities and event planning were pretty bad. Ran out of most alcohol all three nights, including water on a very hot weekend. The washroom facilities were disgusting and you'd think after covid there would be more attention paid to hand washing facilities (water, soap, sanitizer - anything really!)

Been attending Country Thunder since it came to Alberta. Moving the venue to Fort Calgary was worst choice ever. Had to shower every night after getting home to get the dust off us, security was useless so people just pushed their way in front of you. We moved further away, people still crowded because it's too small a venue. Food trucks were too far away and not enough of them, lines were really long. Port-a-potties were disgusting. Not clean, no water to wash hands and sanitizer not replaced. The list goes on and on. It's like the organizers have never run an event before. We don't have more than 1-2 drinks but we heard they kept running out of alcohol. Get your act together Country Thunder, you can, and should do better.if you want people like me back.

Why they would hold a music festival in downtown Calgary where the music is so loud that it is hugely disruptive to the residents is beyond me. I live in Bridgeland area and the music can be heard even in my house (with all windows and doors shuttered) as if someone next door is having a raging party: I can quite literally hear the lyrics and could sing along if I wanted to, this should not be possible 3 kms away. I am pretty certain that the decibels being as loud as they are 3 kms away violates the noise bylaws, even with your so called permit. I feel sorry for the even nearer residents having their lives and weekends inconvenienced by your unprofessionalism. Be more respectful to the downtown and adjacent residents, it does not need to be that loud. Perhaps the original venue of previous years would be a better spot to hold it. Shows a lack of respect to the residents, shame on you concert organizers.

Great event, only down side is people who would like to sit to watch an outdoor concert. Great staff and friendly demeanour. Lots of people will cause a line, get over it.

Loud and annoying. Absolutely ridiculous that neighborhoods must endure this noise. People acting like jerks walking back to their cars parked in residential neighborhoods. Poor location is an understatement.

Would give it 0 stars if I could. This was my fifth year attending and have always loved it until this year. There were WAY too many people packed into this so called “bigger” venue that you’re shoulder to shoulder everywhere you go. Lineup to get food/drink tickets was an hour long then lineup to get drinks was even longer. You also can’t hear the music well from where the drinks are and you can’t see the stage. We stayed for 90 minutes the first day and ended up leaving to go to Panago down the street. Decided to sit outside by the river and listen from there with our $20 medium pizza - away from the crowd. Will absolutely never go back as long as it’s at Fort Calgary. I also feel bad for the nearby residents with the noise!

The dust was outrageous caused allergies to flare and asthma attacks. You could watch it for free! Came with kids and this event is not kid friendly unless you want to spend lots of money for food. We paid - to travel to event- campsite- and they wouldn’t let kids take in snacks. Not here to support vendors came for music. First and last time coming to this.

Sound is way off, granted I am listening from inside my home. I except much better quality (even I haven't purchased a ticket) There are also too many song lyrics about Trucks, Beer, Whiskey and country girls.

Three days. All day. Inner city. So so so loud! Decibel reader between 62-72 and I’m in Bridgeland. This is drowning out other events taking place. I hope no one is having a outdoor wedding and trying to hear their themselves talk this weekend. One day would be acceptable, a couple of hours would be ok. Not the entire weekend. This type of event is better suited outside of the city.

Music was incredible
$16 for a water or a 30 min wait is reckless and ruins the experience

First and last time at this event, we paid $120.00 for 3 day tickets for 5 people/ 3 kids (free) than they refuse to let you bring a cooler full of water because none of us drink alcohol and we're not about to pay for their overpriced drinks, the location of the event is terrible unless you like listening to emergency crews behind the stage. Apparently BVJ is the event to continue supporting because the staff were understanding and allowed people to bring in coolers

The performers were good.but the orginazation was horrible.food and drink lines were way to long.payed for bud light lounge pass should have had a pathway to get to lounge.had to push through a crowd of hundreds of people who dint want to let you past even though you payed a premium.also bud light lounge should of had its own seperate bar.massively unorganized.

The music was fantastic but the it was crazy dusty, shoulder to shoulder people. The venue was oversold for the size. There were crazy long lines, vendors ran out of food, water and booze. There wasn’t enough security for all the drunk fights.

It is a 3 day country music extravaganza set each year. Unfortunately due to covid was canceled this year.