Who makes the bigger splash?

We compare the region's smaller country fests: Country Splash and Winstock.

June 10, 2010 at 9:19PM
Gretchen Wilson performs June 19 at Apple River Country Splash.
Gretchen Wilson performs June 19 at Apple River Country Splash. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Upper Midwest has more country-and-camping festivals than George Strait has exes in Texas. The biggies -- We Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minn., and Country Fest in Cadott, Wis. -- are later this summer. But the season kicks off the next two weekends with two modest-sized festivals: the long-established Winstock and the newish Apple River Country Splash.

WHEN

Winstock: This weekend, with mainstage music starting at 3:15 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday

Country Splash: Next weekend, with mainstage music starting at 3 p.m. June 17, 12:30 p.m. June 18 and 1 p.m. June 19.

WHERE

Winstock: Winsted, Minn., next to the municipal airport, about 50 miles west of Minneapolis.

Country Splash: Float-Rite Park in Somerset, Wis., on the Apple River, about 25 miles northeast of St. Paul.

NUMBER OF YEARS

Winstock: 17

Country Splash: 3

2010 (WITH NUMBER OF NO. 1 COUNTRY SONGS)

Winstock: Dierks Bentley (7) on Friday, Alan Jackson (26) on Saturday.

Country Splash: Travis Tritt (5) on June 17, Zac Brown Band (3) on June 18, Gretchen Wilson (1) on June 19.

2010 OLDIE ACTS

Winstock: Ronnie Milsap.

Country Splash: Tanya Tucker, Lorrie Morgan.

'DANCING WITH THE STARS' CONNECTION

Winstock: Sara Evans, who competed in Season 3 (and quit for personal reasons).

Country Splash: Julianne Hough, who was in five seasons, winning Seasons 4 and 5.

BIGGEST ONE-DAY ATTENDANCE IN 2009

Winstock: 14,300 for Brooks & Dunn.

Country Splash: 11,000 for Kenny Chesney.

FACT

Winstock: Has raised $2.5 million for Holy Trinity Catholic School in Winsted over the years.

Country Splash: Advertised that Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban would be headliners this year and had to cancel the ads.

TICKETS

Winstock: General admission $115, reserved $175 to $275; www.winstock festival.com

Country Splash: General admission $29 (daily) to $99 (3-day), reserved $75 (daily) to $475 (3-day); www.countrysplash.com

Jon Bream • 612-673-1719

Alan Jackson performs Saturday at Winstock.
Alan Jackson performs Saturday at Winstock. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Music Reporter and Critic

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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