Country Thunder: Pre-festival kickoff party Thursday night at Ranchman’s

Country Thunder Alberta kicks off with a party at Ranchman's Thursday night, before festival grounds open at noon Friday at The Confluence in downtown Calgary. Headliners at the 2024 fest include Dallas Smith, Hardy and Luke Combs. (Photo:X@CountryThunder

Country Thunder kicks off at The Confluence Friday afternoon, but if you want to avoid at least one lengthy lineup, there’s a pre-festival kickoff party taking place at Ranchman’s on Thursday night that might help.

From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Ranchman's (9615 Macleod Trail S), festival ticketholders can pick up a festival wristband and an age verification wristband before the gates open Friday afternoon at noon sharp.

There are also a number of road closures due to construction around the festival site that will make traffic even worse than it already figures to be over the weekend in downtown Calgary.

They include:

• 6 St. S.E., which is closed between 9 Ave. and 6 Ave. S.E.;
• 7 Ave. S.E., which is closed between 5 St. and 6 St. S.E.; and
• 7 Ave S.E. which is closed between 5 St. and 6 St. S.E.

Additionally, there will be a soft road closure in place on 9 Ave. between 4 St. S.E. and 6 St. S.E. between around 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, managed by Calgary police.

There’s also a list of items that are allowed and aren’t allowed into the festival grounds.

Items that are not allowed into the festival include the following:

• Glass containers;
• Umbrellas;
• Chairs with canopies;
• Outside food and beverages;
• Drones;
• Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances;
• Animals – except service animals for guests with disabilities;
• Certain bags are not allowed, including backpacks, large purses, camera bags, and coolers;
• Bottles, cans, and thermoses;
• Professional cameras - DSLR cameras or those with a removable lens;
• Fireworks;
• Laptops, radios, noisemakers and laser pointers;
• Promotional/advertising or sale materials not approved by Country Thunder;
• Seat cushions larger than 15 inches x 15 inches or that contain armrests, zippers, pockets, flaps or metal backs;
• Selfie sticks, sticks or poles, video cameras, monopods and tripods; and
• Weapons - Knives, box-cutters, firearms, etc.

All items and patrons are subject to additional inspection prior to entering the venue.

Items that are allowed include the following:

• Hats, and sun block, lighters  and sunglasses;
• Beach towels, blankets;
• One clear plastic bottle of water, factory sealed or empty;
• Some bags, including one small clutch no larger than 6'X9; standard one gallon freezer bags; or a clear plastic bag up to 14" x 14";
• Fanny packs
• Digital cameras, disposable cameras, and non-professional film cameras ;
• Soft lawn chairs and strollers;
• Cell phones;
• Prescription medication;
• "Over-the-Counter” medications; and
• Required medical equipment - Wheelchairs, oxygen bottles etc.

All items and patrons are subject to additional inspection prior to entering the venue.

Friday’s lineup features Dallas Smith, The Reklaws, Andrew Hyatt, Nice Horse and Tommy Charles on the main stage. The Country 105 Stage will feature Martina Dawn, Travis Dolter, Brandon Lorenzo and Shannon Smith.

For more information, go here.