What to know about Neon Nights: Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd coming to Clay's Resort in Stark

LAWRENCE TWP. − Country music artist John Michael Montgomery once played to a packed Gund Arena in Cleveland. Tim McGraw headlined Blossom Music Center last year. And Travis Tritt dominated the country music charts in the early '90s.

All of those hit songs and all of that country music cred doesn't usually share the same concert billing. But that's what's happening Friday and Saturday at the Neon Nights music festival at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in the Canal Fulton area.

Also joining the two-day lineup are Rodney Atkins, Tracy Byrd, Mark Wills, Mark Chesnutt and Wynonna Judd.

"We're really excited about it," said Aaron Green, who co-owns and co-operates Neon Nights with his business partner Joel Beichler. "It's already on paper as our largest Neon Nights yet."

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Green and Beichler also co-founded The Country Fest at Clay's Resort. This is the third year for Neon Nights.

"I would describe Neon Nights as a Country Fest experience for an older demographic," Green said. "I guess what we do here at Neon Nights is we try to build a brand for folks who like a little more traditional country."

So what is Neon Nights and how does it compare to Country Fest? Here's what you need to know.

What type of country music will you hear at Neon Nights?

"Our target for this Neon Nights was 1990 through the 2000s," Green said. "That was kind of the heyday with this lineup we designed.

"We think we've tapped into a market here that is really unique because there's no one in the country who's kind of doing this in a festival setting than us dedicating a weekend to traditional '90s, 2000s country music. We're kind of a pioneer on that."

Breaking onto the scene in the mid-'90s, McGraw has released more than a dozen albums, with his newest record, "Standing Room Only," scheduled for release later this month. Hit songs include "Don't Take The Girl," "I Like It, I Love It," "It's Your Love," "Can't Really Be Gone" and "Where the Green Grass Grows."

"Tim's still playing arenas," Green said. "Tim is the biggest show we've ever had at Neon Nights."

Tritt emerged as a country star in the '90s. Debuting with the album "Country Club" in 1990, he's releasing a new record next month, "Country Chapel." Tritt's hits include "Anymore," "Help Me Hold On," "Country Club" and "I'm Gonna Be Somebody."

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Another big name from the '90s is John Michael Montgomery, whose popular songs include "I Love the Way You Love Me" from his debut album, "Life's a Dance." Other notable songs include "I Swear," "I Can Love You Like That" and "The Little Girl," a duet with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss.

Wynonna Judd, performing under the name Wynonna, has charted numerous No. 1 country singles, including those with The Judds, a Grammy-winning music act with her late mother Naomi Judd.

"I don't know the last time Wynonna (Judd) was in Northeast Ohio," Green said. "It's probably been a decade or so."

How many fans will be at Neon Nights?

While Neon Nights attracts fewer fans than Country Fest, and features a smaller stage, it's by no means a low-profile event.

"We have people I think coming from 30 different states for this thing," Green said. "It's really unique; it was a real fun concept to create and just be a part of, and we're really looking forward to it."

Up to 13,000 fans are expected per day at Neon Nights, compared to up to 18,000 per day at Country Fest this past June, a four-day event.

"It's a different environment completely," Green said of Neon Nights in comparison to Country Fest. "And it's an older crowd, but they still have fun.

"So it's a little more of a chair crowd, so we make sure everyone has plenty of room, and it's just a whole different vibe, I guess."

How long will the musicians perform?

Country music artists at Neon Nights will each perform between 60 to 90 minutes.

"They have hits and music for days," Green said. "It's a different experience seeing these (acts) in a festival setting; if you do the math, it's still a pretty great bargain for the money."

Parking, and what will traffic be like?

Parking costs $10 per day and $20 for tailgate alley with limited spaces on a first come, first served basis.

Green suggests commuters arrive at Neon Nights between 3 and 4 p.m. to beat peak traffic times. Parking opens at 9:30 a.m. daily, and gates open for the amphitheater at 10 a.m.

"We continue to improve and develop our road system in there," Green said. "We've been pretty much able to knock down wait times on the way in and out. We hope to see you back on the road within 30 minutes of getting back in your car (following the final concert of the day)."

Both festival campers and commuters should use the address of 5050 Manchester Ave. NW in North Lawrence to enter the event from Route 93, Green said.

For more details on commuting and amphitheater rules at Neon Nights, go to https://www.theneonnights.com/commuting.

How much do tickets cost and what time are the shows?

Tickets are available at https://www.theneonnights.com/ and cost $179.99 for a two-day pass; festival camping starts at $134.99; single-day passes start at $89.99; and pit passes start at $99.99 (in addition to regular admission).

There is no assigned seating, and every ticket is general admission.

Concerts start at 4 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, with Mark Wills and Mark Chesnutt the first to go on stage, respectively. Friday's other time slots are Byrd at 5:45 p.m.; Atkins, 7:30 p.m.; and Tritt, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday's shows, after Chesnutt, are Montgomery at 5:45 p.m.; Judd, 7:30 p.m.; and McGraw, 9:15 p.m.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com.

On X (formerly Twitter) at @ebalintREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Country music: Neon Nights in Stark features Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd