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Event organizers from Topeka share insights into the creation of Luke Combs’ Bootleggers Bonfire, revealing the vision for a fan-focused music vacation and what attendees can look forward to.
Luke Combs; Photo by David Bergman; Bootleggers Bonfire 2024; Photo Courtesy Topeka
In just a few short weeks, from October 10 through 12, Luke Combs fans from all over will descend upon Miramar Beach, Florida for the first-ever Luke Combs Bootleggers Bonfire, an immersive music vacation providing fans with a unique musical experience on the beautiful Florida Emerald Coastline.
Star-Studded Lineup and Interactive Fun For Everyone
The vacation event, curated by the country superstar in collaboration with Topeka, pioneers of boutique music vacation weekends, promises a three-day musical extravaganza. Guests will enjoy performances from Combs, Brent Cobb, Tracy Lawrence, Craig Morgan, Ashley McBryde, and others. In addition, attendees can participate in a variety of fan-focused activities, such as the songwriters beach jam bonfire, a Whiskey Jam set, a tailgate party, a drum circle, “Luke-i-oke,” a “Lukealike” contest, and other special bonfires.
Building A Unique Music Vacation Experience
Planning a music vacation involves a lot of detail —whether it’s Luke Combs’ Bootleggers Bonfire, Brandi Carlile’s Mothership Weekend, or Lauren Daigle’s Kaleidoscope Beach Weekend—each Topeka-hosted event is unique and includes personal touches from the artists themselves.
According to Topeka’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Andy Levine, it’s a full team “collaborative” effort when organizing their music vacations.
“We ask all our partners, how can we make this a great extension of who you are, all the way around, all your partners, your sponsors, your record company, your universe, your ecosystem, how can we make it special?”
Fan-Focused Activities
For next month’s Bootleggers Bonfire weekend, Combs was very intentional about fostering strong “connection and interactivity” with his fans.
“So when you see things like ‘Luke-i-oke,’ where people are going to get to sing Luke’s songs with the band, that’s a very fan-forward mindset, a ‘Lukealike’ contest, because how could you not do that at a gathering of the Bootleggers? So it really starts with sitting down with the band’s management team and like Andy said, finding out who are the fans, and what would they love? And then we come back with ideas like that,” Chief Operating Officer and Partner, Anthony Diaz, explained. “Luke’s drummer wanted to do a drum circle, so we’re going to have this really cool drum circle. There’s college football on that Saturday, so we’re going to do a big tailgate.”
Photo Courtesy of Topeka
Intimate Concert Setting
This special fan-centric weekend also offers attendees the opportunity to see Combs, a two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, in a more intimate setting. Earlier this year, he headlined stadiums with capacities of 40,000 to 80,000-plus across the country and during the Bootleggers Bonfire, he’ll be playing for approximately 5,000 fans.
Tickets for the three-day event started at just $445 per person, with options to add lodging and additional activities. With the current price of regular concert tickets, plus fees, parking, and everything associated with going to a concert, the value of a music vacation like this one is unmatched. Plus, Miramar Beach is located near three major airports, allowing the opportunity for fans from across the country and the world to attend.
“That’s one of the reasons Luke and [Chris] Kappy [his manager] wanted to do this here. They wanted to be accessible, accessible to drive versus having to leave the country where the alternative might be a cruise or Mexico. And then they love that all these condos have full kitchens so people can bring their own groceries and all day, go to the beach, the pool, whatever you’re drinking and eating, whatever you want to, if you want to go to restaurants, you can do that too,” Levine explained. “But if you want to make the dollar stretch, there are plenty of opportunities to do that…If you look at what you’re spending to go to a stadium show, especially if you travel the hotel and everything, you can really make this a vacation versus a night in an Uber.”
What’s Next for Topeka Music Vacations
The Bootleggers Bonfire kicks off an exciting fall season for Topeka, which will host Moon Crush “Cowboy Moon,” curated by Lyle Lovett, from November 1-3, followed by Moon Crush “An Avett Moon,” curated by The Avett Brothers, from November 8-10. Plans are also in motion for a big Spring 2025 season, featuring a brand-new weekend curated by Melissa Etheridge, alongside returning weekends from Brandi Carlile, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and the fan-favorite Moon Crush “Pink Moon.” Levine and Diaz also teased that more country music focused events could be on the horizon.
Photo Courtesy of Topeka
How A Pandemic Dream Turned Into Reality
The idea to host a unique music vacation came to founder Andy Levine during the COVID pandemic when he found himself longing for an escape during the lockdowns. He and his family wound up in Florida with the attitude of “if we’re going to Zoom from home, we might as well be doing it from the beach.”
Levine is a music business veteran, having spent time as the manager of the rock band Sister Hazel and later becoming the founder of Sixthman after embarking on a music cruise with the band. The wildly successful venture led to music cruises with KISS, Barenaked Ladies, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many more.
With a background in music cruises, Levine’s wheels began to turn while spending time at the beach in 2020 and Topeka was born. The first event took place in 2021, and the rest is history. He’s built the company with the help of his longtime friend, Anthony Diaz, whom he met while attending college. They share a long history and previously worked together at Sithman.
Photo Courtesy of Topeka
Transforming the Festival Experience
Together, they are transforming the music festival experience one event at a time.
“We’re seeing parents and families and we’re seeing couples getaways and friends getaways, and we’re even seeing empty nesters coming out, people who have been kind of put off by 50,000 people on a field,” Levine said. “We’re seeing ’em come to this and go, ‘This is what I’m talking about. No lines, and air-conditioned bathrooms for everybody. These are the reasons I didn’t go to some of these bigger things.’ So we’re trying to let ’em know this is going to be a really fun, comfortable place.”
“It’s just something really special when you get to vacation and the content of your vacation is the music you love,” Diaz added.
For additional information about the Luke Combs Bootleggers Bonfire and other Topeka events, click HERE.
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