Patriotic Festival in Norfolk to feature top country acts Zac Brown Band, Warren Zeiders and others

Country music lovers are expected to flock to downtown Norfolk this weekend for the annual Patriotic Festival.

The four-day music fest is all about supporting military service members throughout Memorial Day weekend — and jamming to killer tunes.

It kicks off Thursday with concerts at Chrysler Hall featuring Alana Springsteen and TikTok star Warren Zeiders whose song “Pretty Little Poison” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart this year. Other concerts will be at Scope with Friday’s lineup including Nate Smith, Josh Ross and Bailey Zimmerman. In 2022, Zimmerman was named Billboard’s No. 4 New Artist Overall and the No. 2 Top New Country Artist.

On Saturday, John Morgan and Ella Langley will open for rocker, country singer and songwriter HARDY whose music has racked up over 4 billion streams. Megan Moroney performs Sunday before the Zac Brown Band, a country music mainstay known for its dynamic live shows.

“So we have a lot to choose from in terms of hits and singles,” said drummer Chris Fryar in a phone interview. “We try to mix it up with some of our hit singles and then there’ll be a couple of new tunes.”

The band rarely plays the same show twice in a row, often switching songs in and out of its setlist, Fryar said. The change helps him and his bandmates stay energized and keeps their concerts fresh — after close to two decades of touring.

Fryar joined the Zac Brown Band in April 2008, two months before the release of its first hit which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Charts later that year. The band has had 22 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 in the past 16 years.

The festival will offer pre-show activities and vendors will be on hand at the Scope plaza and the venue’s upper concourse starting at 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com

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If you go

When and where: 7 p.m. Thursday, Chrysler Hall, 215 St. Paul’s Blvd., Norfolk; 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Scope Arena  201 E Brambleton Ave, Norfolk

Tickets: Start at $43.30

Details: patrioticfestival.com or sevenvenues.com