Garth Brooks to Headline Inaugural Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff

Garth Brooks will serve as the headliner at the inaugural Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff event. The concert will occur over Labor Day weekend on September 2 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and act as the unofficial start of college football season.

Videos by American Songwriter

The lineup for the show also features Lainey Wilson and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser said in a release that the “lineup has all the makings of a great Louisiana Saturday night.”

“Being asked to be part of the first-ever Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff is an honor,” Brooks added. “The fun will be in getting to perform with Legends Nitty Gritty and future legend Miss Wilson in front of arguably the greatest country music fans on the planet. Any trip to Louisiana is a guaranteed good time so PLEASE count me in.”

Wilson took to Instagram to share her excitement as she stated. “Well hot dang y’all…I’m joining the one and only @garthbrooks, in my home state of Louisiana. We’re coming home to Louisiana!”

The first-ever Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff aims to “bring first-rate entertainment that will drive tourism in Louisiana,” says Sugar Bowl President Richard Briede. Furthermore, amidst the expansion of the College Football Playoff, the city of New Orleans aims to remain a candidate for hosting the event. In addition to gaining profit for the state, the event also backs the Allstate Sugar Bowl in its support of numerous community programs, including the New Orleans Teacher Collective. Funds also will go toward the aid of existing scholarship programs and youth events.

If the event achieves its intended success, it will become an annual event that will take place on Labor Day weekend prior to the start of the college football season.

Tickets go on sale Friday, July 21. Click HERE for ticket information and other details about the event.

(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMT/ViacomCBS)