Faster Horses Music Festival Kicks Off

From Tim McGraw to Miranda Lambert, some of the biggest names in county music will be taking the stage this weekend at the Michigan International Speedway. The Faster Horses music festival is only in its second year but both fans and organizers are in it for the long-run.

Greg Chapman is the first person proving what it takes to be a dedicated fan.

'Number one is the only way to go,' Chapman said.

He was the first person into the music festival this year, and the fist one in last year. Chapman camps with a group of family and friends for the three-day event.

'Probably see a little Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, you know some of the bigger stars,' said Chapman, listing off the performers he's most excited to see.

In the first year of the concerts 20,000 fans packed the MIS grounds. It's a number festival creator Brian O'Connell says they've already passed in ticket sales.

'We're committed to growing the festival, we're not looking for explosions we're looking for nice gradual growth and and we're there,' said O'Connell, president of Live Nation Nashville.

That growth starts with adding new activities to the event. Some highlights for this year include a selfie-stage, beach volleyball, carnival rides and even a Wiffle ball tournament. New additions to keep the fans entertained.

'That's about creating community,' O'Connell explained. 'That's what I think Faster Horses stands for, and then obviously the world class talent that we have on the stage.'

For MIS its a big transformation from a race track to concert grounds for the three day event.

'We're a multi-use facility and we're getting to the point where we're just an entertainment destination for a multitude of things not just NASCAR,' said Roger Curtis, MIS President.

The music festival is just one of the many events that helps the speedway bring in millions of dollars to the state's economy each year.

'I think we're actually going to get to a point here probably in the next couple of years where our calendar is full,' Curtis said.

If it's up to Faster Horses organizers, their event will be staying in the books.

'The goal for this is for it to become embraced by these fans and have it live on so their kids come one day and camp out with their buddies,' O'Connell said.

With fans like Chapman, they're well on their way.

'It's number one in our books we'll be number one here next year,' he said.

Entities 0 Name: Chapman Count: 4 1 Name: O'Connell Count: 3 2 Name: Tim McGraw Count: 2 3 Name: Miranda Lambert Count: 2 4 Name: Curtis Count: 1 5 Name: Roger Curtis Count: 1 6 Name: Michigan International Speedway Count: 1 7 Name: Greg Chapman Count: 1 8 Name: Live Nation Nashville Count: 1 9 Name: Brian O'Connell Count: 1 10 Name: MIS Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1tbdwht Title: What to Wear to This Summer's Biggest Concerts Description: Summer concert season is a popular time for people to bust out their best looks, but there's a fine line between fan and fanatic. While we're all for enthusiasm, it's best to nod to your fave musical act without looking full crazy. Here are some subtle ways to dress the part but still remain festive.