This weekend, the Bayonet and Black Horse golf course in Seaside, a grounds more typically known for its lush ranges and picturesque views of the Monterey Bay, will host the Boots on the Green Country Music festival – six hours of country music through four musical acts.
“At the golf course we’re always trying to do something different to bring people to the facility,” explains Bayonet General Manager Pat Jones. “Not everybody plays golf, and we have a beautiful facility.”
And yes, they will have a golf simulator on site – in addition to 14 vendors, three miniature cows, a mechanical bull and a climbing wall.
The question of what to do with the roughly five acres of land not used for golf had prompted Jones to try his hand at producing festivals. In April of this year, Bayonet hosted A Taste of Monterey Bay, a wine and beer tasting event, that helped Jones land connections with local breweries, vendors and musicians. The success of that event prompted what Jones anticipates being an annual event, Boots on the Green.
“Myself, my wife, and my director of food and beverage originally came up with the idea of doing a music festival,” he says. “So I was like, ‘let’s figure out how to do a country music festival.’”
It was a genre Jones felt was absent from the other popular festivals in the area. The event benefits local charities Folds of Honor, Casa de la Cultura and Santa Cruz Animal Shelter.
Kentucky Mule, a genre-bending Americana act based out of Santa Cruz that has been performing steadily throughout the Monterey area for the past three years, will open. The band ranges from more traditional style country songs to upbeat numbers. One of the more memorable takeaways that singer Coleton Tidwell expresses from his performances in Monterey is the crowd’s willingness to dance.
“I was kind of like a very shy person when it came to dancing and it rocked my world,” says Tidwell. “As a performer, I can also say there’s nothing like playing music and then seeing engagement like that.”
Jakota Wass, Aaron Goodvin and headliner Annie Bosko continue the music until closing time.
“At the end of the day, it’s bringing people together, enjoying a special day on the festival lawn,” Jones says.
BOOTS ON THE GREEN COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, 4-10pm Saturday, Sept. 12. Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Course, 1 McClure Way, Seaside. $85-$120. 21 and up. bayonetblackhorse.com