Country Rising Festival 2026: Corey Kent, Dylan Marlowe, Redferrin, and Kalsey Kulyk - Winnipeg, MB

Country music took over Winnipeg's Blue Cross Park on August 21, 2026, as the Country Rising Festival returned after a year away and brought a stacked lineup of emerging and established artists to the city, culminating in a high-energy headlining performance from Corey Kent. With Kalsey Kulyk, Redferrin, and Dylan Marlowe setting the stage, the festival offered a night that showcased just how broad and lively the current country scene has become.

Kalsey Kulyk kicked off the evening, giving Winnipeg audiences another chance to experience her blend of modern country songwriting and powerhouse vocals. Kulyk was last in the city in May 2025, when she opened for Niko Moon at the Burton Cummings Theatre, and her return showed that she has continued to grow as a performer. She immediately established the tone for the evening, bringing an inviting presence to the stage and warming up the crowd for what was to come.

Kalsey Kulyk. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography

Redferrin was next up to the stage, making his first Winnipeg appearance since headlining the Park Theatre in October 2024. His set leaned heavily into the rowdy, good-time side of country, with songs including “Stuck,” “Jack and Diet Coke,” “She’s Like Whiskey,” “If I Was California,” “Tell ’Em Why,” “3 Day Bender,” “Champagne In The Morning,” and “Just Like Johnny.” A cover of Florida Georgia Line’s “Lil Bit,” which he wrote with the group, was a particularly fun addition, fitting naturally into Redferrin’s energetic performance.

There was an easygoing, party-ready atmosphere to Redferrin’s set, but he also demonstrated why he has become an increasingly recognizable name in contemporary country. His songs balance country instrumentation with the swagger and accessibility of modern country radio, and the Winnipeg crowd responded accordingly.

Redferrin. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography

Dylan Marlowe then took the stage, returning to Winnipeg after opening for Warren Zeiders in September 2025. His set included “Record High” and “Boys Back Home,” while he also reached back to his newest material with performances of “Wait At The Gate,” “Least You Could Let Me Do,” and “Mess We Made,” from his recent EP with his band 80 ARCES. He even slipped in a snippet of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” after an audience member yelled for it, giving the crowd a brief taste of classic Southern rock.

Marlowe’s performance felt particularly natural in a festival setting. He has the kind of youthful energy and approachable stage presence that makes an opening set feel less like a warm-up and more like a genuine part of the evening’s main event. His return to Winnipeg was well received, and it was clear that the audience remembered him from his previous visit.

Dylan Marlowe. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography

By the time Corey Kent arrived to the stage, the festival had already built considerable momentum. Kent’s headlining set brought together the polished modern-country sound, rock-influenced edge, and some soul, that have become hallmarks of his music.

Opening with “Rather Be Here,” Kent moved through a set that included “Highways,” “Gold,” “How You Know You Made It,” “Boys Growing Up,” “Rocky Mountain Low,” “Empty Words,” “This Heart,” “Wannabe,” “Wild as Her,” and “Something’s Gonna Kill Me,” among many others. The selection gave fans a strong representation of his catalogue while keeping the energy high throughout the night.

“Wild as Her” was an obvious highlight, but one of the most appealing aspects of Kent’s performance was the way he moved between more reflective material and bigger, more anthemic songs. “Gold” and “Boys Growing Up” brought out the more sentimental side of his songwriting, while tracks such as “Highways” and “Something’s Gonna Kill Me” gave the performance the harder-driving energy that made him an effective festival headliner.

Corey Kent. Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography

What made Country Rising Festival work was the progression of the lineup. Kulyk established the atmosphere, Redferrin brought the party, Marlowe added youthful energy and personality while showcasing two sides of his songwriting, and Kent closed the night with the confidence of an artist increasingly comfortable in the headlining spotlight.

For Winnipeg country fans, it was a strong showcase of where the genre is headed: rooted in traditional country storytelling but increasingly willing to embrace rock, pop, Southern influences, and a more modern approach. With four performers at different stages of their careers, Country Rising Festival gave the audience plenty of reasons to keep an eye on all of them.

By the end of the night, Corey Kent had delivered the headlining performance the festival promised dispite some unfortunate cirumstances that saw the headliner BigXthaPlug drop off the show, but the real success of Country Rising was that every artist contributed something distinct. It was a night that felt less like a collection of opening acts and more like a snapshot of country music's next generation—exactly the kind of lineup a festival called Country Rising should be bringing to Winnipeg.