Kid Rock and Nickelback will headline the festival

The Rock the Country hiking festival is expanding. Co-founder Kid Rock will headline the second edition of the event with Nickelback between April and July 2025 in 11 cities across America, up from seven cities at this year’s inaugural event. But it’s not just the line-up of country music acts or tour stops that’s growing, but also the rock definition of the event.

“It’s simple: Rock The Country isn’t just a music festival, it’s a movement,” he said in a statement. “It’s a place for hard-working, God-fearing patriots to come together and celebrate freedom, music and the party of the year.”

Rock the Country stops in Livingston, Louisiana; Knoxville, Tenn.; York, Pa.; Hastings, Mich.; Little Rock, Arkansas; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Ocala, Fla.; Anderson, South Carolina; and Ashland, Kentucky. The escape stop in Cullman, Alabama, is branded “Rock the South.”

The lineup for each two-day event varies by city. Participating artists include Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, Three Doors Down, Travis Tritt, Gavin Adcock, Tracy Lawrence, Treaty Oak Revival, Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners, Ella Langley, Upchurch, Diamond Rio, Ole 60, Little Texas and Hudson Westbrook.

Logan Crosby, Them Dirty Roses, Vincent Mason, Clay Walker, Ty Myers and Bayker Blakenship will also perform. A ’90s-themed happy hour will feature performances from Shenandoah, Mark Chestnutt, Jo Dee Messina, Sammy Kershaw, Deana Carter, Afroman, Ying Yang Twins, Tone Loc and Dee Jay Silver.

“We’re really excited to hit the road and visit some great cities, especially places we’ve never played before,” Nickelback’s Michael Kroeger said in a statement. “It’s special to connect with the fans in these communities and we’re ready to give it our all and really rock the country.”

The scene at Rock the Country 2024 was noticeably political: lots of American flags, plenty of Trump 2024 merch, plus an introductory performance by Tucker Carlson and a headlining performance by Jason Aldean. Donald Trump himself delivered a video message that appeared during Rock’s performance. In it he praised rock’s “hardworking, God-fearing rock ‘n’ roll patriots” and encouraged him to “make America rock again.”

Rock has become increasingly committed to his pro-Trump stance over the years, something he no longer has any concerns about now that the results of the 2024 presidential election have tipped in his candidate’s favor. “Do you think I like Trump because he’s a nice guy?” Rock said Rolling Stone Earlier this year. “I don’t choose the deacon of a church. This motherfucker likes to win. He likes to cheat at his damn golf game. I want this guy on my team. I want the guy who says, ‘I’ll fight you.'”

He added: “When I tried again I knew it could be the end of my career. But I bet there are a lot of like-minded people out there.”