If you go
› What: Luke Bryan Farm Tour concert.› When: 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6; parking opens at 2 p.m., gates open at 5 p.m.› Where: Doug Yates Farm, 11738 Alabama Highway, Ringgold, Ga.› Admission: $51 in advance, $60 at gate if tickets remain; parking pass $5 in advance, $20 day of.› Online: www.lukebryan.com/farm-tour.
Company's coming to Doug Yates Farm - all 15,000.
Yates' Ringgold, Georgia, farm is hosting Luke Bryan's Farm Tour on Saturday night, Oct. 6. Yates says the huge country concert will utilize 165 acres of his farm, 100 acres of that in parking alone.
Bryan's Farm Tour is a nod to his background (son of a peanut farmer in Leesburg, Georgia), his love for the rural life in which he grew up and his appreciation for this country's hardworking farmers.
Luke Bryan (Arkansas Democrat Gazette/File Photo)Know before you go
What Is Allowed:› Folding chairs and blankets for seating in designated concert areas› Tailgating in parking area only› Wheelchairs for handicapped-seating areas. A general-admission seating area is provided for people in wheelchairs and up to three companions. The area is available on a first-come, first-served basis.Not allowed:› No coolers› No grills› No backpacks; leave them in the car› No outside food or drink in concert area › No glass containers of any kind anywhere on property› No animals other than service animals› No video cameras or recording devices
At each Farm Tour stop, the Luke Bryan Farm Tour Scholarship is awarded to a local college student from a farming family in that community to encourage the next generation of farmers. One will be presented in Ringgold on Saturday night.
This 10th anniversary Farm Tour began Sept. 27 in Irwin, Ohio, and Saturday night's concert in Ringgold is the sixth and final stop. Joining Bryan is Chase Rice ("Ready Set Roll"), Jon Langston ("Right Girl Wrong Time") and The Peach Pickers. The latter is a trio of Georgia songwriters that includes Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins (father of country star Thomas Rhett).
Many have wondered how Doug Yates got one of the country's biggest tours to stop in his backyard.
Actually, he says, they called him.
From what he can tell, when Bryan's team was considering tour stops, they talked to a lot of people for suggestions. Lots of acreage was a must, along with a spot with privacy that wouldn't have neighbors complaining.
"They had talked to several people, and our name kept coming up," says Yates. "I think it had to do with hosting the St. Jude Rodeo here for 20 years and the size of the farm. They wanted to meet; we showed them the farm and showed what we could do to take some fences out and make space."
A deal was struck, and Farm Tour is leasing the land from Yates for the show, although he declined to say for how much.
Yates says country music has always been his favorite, and he's listened to WUSY US-101 radio since he was a teenager. Plus, he's a fan of Luke Bryan and the example the singer sets for his fans.
"Just hearing the things Luke Bryan has done for other people, what he's done for his family (taking in the three children of his late sister and brother-in-law) that tells you he's an exceptional man," says Yates.
Traffic has been a concern of locals, who know there is just a two-lane road, Alabama Highway, leading to the Yates property. As of press time, the concert had nearly sold out its 15,000 tickets.
Yates thinks that between the concert schedule (parking opens at 2 p.m., gates into the concert open at 5 p.m.) and assistance of the Catoosa County Sheriff's Department, traffic into the concert will move smoothly.
Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk says he will have about three dozen law officers assigned to this event. They will be posted from the I-75 exit into Ringgold, along Alabama Highway to the Yates farm, as well as at the concert.
The three hours between when parking starts until concert gates open should prevent a backup.
"Hopefully, it's staggered long enough that traffic won't back up too bad," says Sisk. "It's going out, with everybody leaving at one time, that will be an issue. It's a two-lane road, everything else is back roads, so we're just going to ask everyone to be patient so we can get them out as fast as we can in a nice, safe and orderly fashion."
Sisk says his department is working in tandem with Bryan's contract team to cover security for this event.
Yates says his acreage is divided by a creek, and the bridge over that creek will be the checkpoint where concertgoers will have bags checked, pat-downs, etc., before entering the concert area. He has updated the pedestrian bridge with handrails for the event.
Yates encourages guests to bring food to tailgate in the parking area only. No glass items are allowed, though, for the obvious reason the farmer does not want broken glass in his field.
"I've had so many people ask about tailgating. I'm all for it. This is going to be a big party. To me, it's like going to the Georgia or Tennessee game. I want everybody to come and have a good time," Yates says.
He also encourages fans to bring folding chairs and blankets for seating, which are allowed in designated areas of the concert site. The acreage is flat enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and there will be a handicapped-seating area.
Yates doesn't seem fazed by hosting 15,000 visitors this weekend. In fact, he's excited to show them his farm.
"I'm hoping the leaves are changing by then, and with our sunsets, I don't think they are going to find a prettier farm than what we have right here in North Georgia," he says. "I'd like to see everybody come, have a good time, get home safely and talk about it for many a year."
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.