Bayonet Black Horse is turning five acres of unused golf course land in Seaside into a country music festival ground.
The Boots on the Green Country Music Festival runs 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 McClure Way. Four acts will play six hours of live music on a festival lawn. Tickets cost $85 to $120, and the event is 21 and older.
General manager Pat Jones told Monterey County NOW the idea grew from a simple question: what to do with roughly five acres not used for golf.
"Not everybody plays golf, and we have a beautiful facility," Jones said.
Jones, his wife and the course's food and beverage director developed the concept. He said he picked country music because he felt the genre was missing from other popular festivals in the area. In April, the course hosted A Taste of Monterey Bay, a wine and beer tasting that helped Jones connect with local breweries, vendors and musicians. That event's success pushed him to go bigger.
Jones expects the festival to return annually.
Santa Cruz-based Americana band Kentucky Mule opens the lineup. Singer Coleton Tidwell said Monterey-area crowds stand out for their willingness to dance. Jakota Wass and Canadian-American country artist Aaron Goodvin follow. Thousand Oaks singer-songwriter Annie Bosko headlines.
Beyond the music, the festival grounds will feature 14 vendors, three miniature cows, a mechanical bull, a climbing wall and a golf simulator.
Proceeds benefit three charities: Folds of Honor, which provides educational scholarships to families of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders; Casa de la Cultura; and the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter.
The city-owned course, built in 1954 on the former Fort Ord military base, was purchased by the City of Seaside in January 1997. Jones said the festival is part of a broader effort to draw non-golfers to the property.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Boots on the Green Country Music Festival, 4–10 p.m., Bayonet Black Horse, 1 McClure Way, Seaside. $85–$120. Ages 21+. Tickets at bayonetblackhorse.com.
