Best known for No. 1 hits like “Head Over Boots” and “Heartache Medication,” country music hitmaker Jon Pardi released his first Christmas album, Merry Christmas From Jon Pardi, in October 2023. In addition to timeless hits like “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Please Come Home for Christmas,” the Yuletide offering also included originals such as “Beer for Santa” and “400 Horsepower Sleigh.” That same year, Pardi, 40, also kicked off his inaugural Christmas tour, which he continued in 2024 and 2025. And this year, the CMA Award-winning artist spread more than just Christmas cheer, donating money through his Starlight Fund in each Florida city he visits. Altogether, Pardi’s donations totaled about $40,000.
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Jon Pardi Heads to Sunshine State for “Rowdy” Christmas Tour
This past weekend, Jon Pardi hit up the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, Florida, for the first round of Christmas shows on Dec. 12-13. On Thursday (Dec. 18), the “California Cowboy” heads to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, before closing out the next night in Tampa.
Through his Starlight Fund, the “Dirt on My Boots” crooner donated $40,000 to support local charities in each city he visited. The recipients included St. Augustine Youth Services and St. Augustine Art Association, Little Smiles in Palm Beach Gardens, and A Kids Place of Tampa Bay.
In 2024, Pardi and his wife Summer established the Starlight Fund to help support general youth enrichment, especially in trade, agriculture, and construction.
According to its official website, the Starlight Fund “fund aims to empower the next generation to thrive professionally, and to cultivate a workforce that not only excels but also contributes meaningfully to their communities. Its mission is to provide resources and opportunities to organizations supporting those in need, with a focus on those pursuing hands-on skills and education in these important fields.”
[RELATED: Jon Pardi Delivers Big Surprise to His Tour Opener Priscilla Block]
Horn Players Are “Waiting All Year” For Christmas Show
Jon Pardi pulls out all the stops for his Christmas tour, bringing along a 13-piece band with twin fiddles and a horn section. It’s an entirely different experience from his Mr. Saturday Night World Tour, which leaves out the horn section for practical reasons. And the “Last Night Lonely” singer recently told Pure Country Radio that Christmas music enthusiasts aren’t the only ones who look forward to this tour every year.
“They ask us every month starting in January, ‘Do you guys need some horns on the road?’” Pardi said. “So they’re ready when we’re ready when we make the leap to full time when November hits. They can’t wait.”
Featured image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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