In The News

NAPLES, FL (September 15, 2021) – Live Fest officials are excited to announce that country music trio Runaway June and Southwest Florida’s own Ben Allen Band will perform at Live Fest on Saturday, December 11th at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón.

Runaway June, proclaimed by Billboard as the “Next Hot Trend in Country Music” and the Ben Allen Band, a finalist on last season of NBC’s The Voice, will join Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell at Naples’ premier music experience. Live Fest will start following the second round of the QBE Shootout at 4:00 p.m. and conclude at 10:00 p.m.

Prime stage-front seating in the Live Pit and General Admission tickets are on sale now at LiveFest.com.

This year’s show will feature an upgraded guest experience including enhanced audio and visual for General Admission as well as elevated food & beverage experiences, courtesy of MillerCoors, Tito’s Vodka and Garrison Brothers Bourbon. Also available will be limited-edition merchandise.

“Winning Outdoor Festival of the Year our first year was an honor and a testament to the creative, production and operations teams we have in place,” said Live Fest Founder and Executive Producer, Steve Hagenbuckle. “ Our goal is to continue to elevate and improve the Live Fest experience year after year to make it “America’s Best Live Music Event” complete with world class entertainment and optics at one of America’s finest and most elegant outdoor venues.”

“Nothing matches the energy and excitement of live music,” said Iheart VP of Events, Adam Bauer. “iHeartMedia and Cat Country 107.1 are thrilled to be back with our partners Steve Hagenbuckle, QBE Shootout and Wasserman at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón with a truly impressive lineup. We’ve all been waiting for this moment – live music is back and Southwest Florida is ready for another first class Live Fest experience.”

Runaway June is comprised of Naomi Cooke (lead vocals/guitar), Natalie Stovall (vocals/fiddle/guitar), and Jennifer Wayne (vocals/guitar). The trio’s “inescapable talent” (AXS.com) is multiplied by their seamlessly rich, organic harmonies and fiery, western-rooted bluegrass sound. The “Next Women of Country” (CMT) have earned praise from Billboard, Rolling Stone Country, The Huffington Post, Paste, People and more. They’ve made numerous national TV appearances, including TODAY, GMA and CMA Country Christmas and have been nominated for ACM Awards and CMT Awards. Due to their electrifying live show, Runaway June has performed at Stagecoach, C2C Country To Country, and on some of the biggest tours in country music, opening for superstars like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Carrie Underwood. Honored as a coveted “New Face” at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar, the BBR Music Group / Wheelhouse Records trio’s single “Buy My Own Drinks” peaked at Top 5 on the Mediabase Country Chart, the highest charting song by a female group since The Chicks in 2003. Their debut album Blue Roses (2019) received critical acclaim and was included on Rolling Stone’s and Paste Magazine’s best albums of the year lists. Currently on Luke Bryan’s 2021 Proud To Be Right Here Tour, the award-nominated trio’s bright, rootsy new EP, backstory, is out now. www.runawayjune.com.

One of the best-known bands in Florida, Ben Allen Band absolutely entertains and brings the energy every time they take the stage! Known in SWFL for years and now performing nationally and even internationally, Ben Allen came back from being a semifinalist on NBC's The Voice with his batteries charged. These guys are once again ready to open Livefest and give a performance that is sure to leave a lasting impression and set the tone for an amazing night of music!

For the latest Live Fest™ news and information visit www.livefest.com, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/livefestusa and follow us on Instagram @livefestusa.

For the latest QBE Shootout news and information, visit the official tournament website at www.qbeshootout.com, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/qbeshootout and follow us on Instagram @QBEshootout.