“Hey, it’s so good to be alive, swimmin’ in sunshine” (Swimmin’ in Sunshine by Billy Currington) – that’s exactly what attending Coastal Country Jam is like. Located on the sand of Huntington State Beach, Coastal Country Jam is the perfect way to spend a warm Southern California day. Other than Tortuga Music Festival in South Florida, there aren’t many country music festivals that allow you to roam the festival grounds barefoot on the sand. Needless to say, we were excited at the opportunity to attend this event!

Debuting in July 2016 with headliner Chase Rice, Coastal Country Jam has put on a handful of country events in Huntington Beach and San Diego. Coastal Country Jam is the perfect addition to Southern California’s growing lineup of country music festivals (Stagecoach, Shipkicker, and Driftwood Festival).

The lineup on August 12th featured Kaitlyn Weathers, Daniel Bonte, Grass Roots Revival, Sunny Sweeny, Walker Hayes, and one of our favorites, Billy Currington. The crowd trickled in throughout the day, and the pit was packed and rockin’ by the time Walker Hayes was belting his smash hit “You Broke Up With Me.” As usual, barefoot Billy Currington, had the crowd of 10,000 singing at the top of their lungs song after song.

Below we have compiled a list of festival highlights and some tips if your planning to attend a Coastal Country Jam festival in the future.


– Coastal Country Jam Festival Highlights –

VIP | The VIP area offers a luxurious experience if you’ve got the cash. For $285, country music fans could watch the show from a dedicated VIP section of the pit or in their very own shaded bean bag chair. The VIP area also featured a hammock circle, which was the perfect way to relax in between acts.

Food | From BBQ joints to mac n’ cheese and pizza, Coastal Country Jam offered just about every southern style meal to satisfy a festival-goers cravings. Albeit, a bit pricey ($7 for one slice of pepperoni pizza), the lineup of food was top notch at Coastal Country Jam.

Shopping | Be prepared to shop! From belt buckles to dream catchers and country song inspired tees, there isn’t a shortage of shopping options at Coastal Country Jam festival grounds. – there’s something to style your festival needs

Entertainment | Coastal Country Jam featured a mechanical bull and a dance hall, which was packed full for a majority of the afternoon. (and side stage where dance hall was)

Photo Ops | The beach setting is picturesque in itself, but Coastal Country Jam has set up a few photo stations to capture your festival memories. Make sure you plan for enough time to explore the festival grounds throughout the day.

– Festival Tips – 

What to Wear | Boots or sandals are completely appropriate. We’d say the crowd was about 50 percent in boots and 50 percent in sandals. Keep in mind, you’re in the sand, so you might want to avoid shoes that are prone to getting filled with sand. Reference our country outfit blog to help guide you to the perfect festival outfit and accessories.

Parking | Catching an uber to the venue can be expensive and time consuming. We recommend parking offsite. There is a neighborhood nearby, off Buchard Street, you can park there and walk less than a mile to the venue. Be sure to be considerate of the residents nearby and read all signage before you leave your car – you don’t want to get towed.

Hotels | There are several hotels fairly close in proximity to Huntington Stage Beach. The festival is located on the south end of the beach, closer to Newport Beach. So, there are options in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Maximizing our travel rewards enables the Country Clones to attend more events and country festivals throughout the year. We always book hotels through  hotels.com because every 10th stay is free! You can receive additional savings when you book a hotel on your mobile device.

Phone Charging | The festival offered cell phone charging stations, but it’s always best to bring your own portable charger. We always carry two with us to be safe. Purchase your own Anker PowerCore+ mini, 3350mAh Lipstick-Sized Portable Charger.

Next up for Coastal Country Jam is September 23 – 24 in Huntington Beach. The two-day country music festival lineup includes Lady Antebellum, Old Dominion, Eli Young Band, Brett Young, Michael Ray, Chris Hawkey, Honey County and more. Purchase tickets today.

Want to attend more country music festivals? Visit our Country Festival Planning Guide.

Walker Hayes
Billy Currington
Walker Hayes
VIP Bean Bag Lounge
Billy Currington