Big Valley Jamboree is back in 2022 with Eric Church, Tim McGraw and more

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After a two-year, tumbleweed pandemic hiatus, Big Valley Jamboree plans to jump out of the gate kicking and bucking as a proper festival in 2022.

Headliners and arena-country veterans Eric Church, Tim McGraw, Dallas Smith, Trace Adkins and Dustin Lynch are on the “big five,” all-dude, top row of the bill announced Tuesday morning — the show running July 28-31 in its usual spot at the sprawling Camrose Regional Exhibition Grounds.

Entertainers filling up the four-day roster so far include singer-songwriter Hardy, Terri Clark, James Barker Band, The Road Hammers, Hunter Brothers, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Mackenzie Porter, The Dead South, The Washboard Union, Andrew Hyatt, Williams and Ree, Michelle Wright, Shawn Austin and Kameron Marlow, with more to be announced to entice sales down the line.

The Friday night beer garden party will be headlined by rock band Toque.

Looking at the range of entertainers, 2022’s BVJ is a mix of radio-friendly hot country legends like McGraw and Church, Canadian songbird royalty in Clark and Wright, the deep-diving and legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Interstellar Rodeo alumni The Dead South, and the rather politically incorrect humour of the self-proclaimed “the Indian and the White Guy,” Williams and Ree.

“It’s time to celebrate in 2022,” says Big Valley Jamboree CEO Troy Vollhoffer. “The fans in Camrose have always been some of the best, and most loyal, anywhere in Canada. Keeping that in mind, we wanted to return to this beautiful site with one of the biggest and best line-ups anywhere in North America next year.”

Extra festival amenities include Bulls for Breakfast, a marketplace tradeshow to pick up a new belt buckle, pony rides, a songwriters workshop and the Sunday Gospel Show, not to mention numerous saloons.

Three-day, general admission passes are $245, and three-day standing pit passes right up front inside the giant runway cross run $545. The Thursday kickoff event on its own is $50, while single day general admissions are $120 a pop. Camping, with many areas already sold out, ranges from $195 to $350 for oversized spots.