For Immediate Release
Rural King Named Presenting Partner of Drew Baldridge’s Hometown BIG Baldridge & Bonfire Festival
Partnership brings Rural King’s signature hospitality and family-friendly experiences to Sept. 19 festival in Patoka, Illinois
Festival Celebrates Baldridge’s New Album, “FARM FAITH FAMILY,” Out Sept. 18
MATTOON, Ill. — Aug. 31, 2026 — Rural King, a family-owned retailer dedicated to the rural lifestyle, is teaming up with platinum-selling country music artist and Illinois native Drew Baldridge as the presenting partner of The BIG Baldridge & Bonfire Festival, returning to Baldridge’s hometown of Patoka, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 19.
Now in its fourth year, the one-day outdoor country music festival regularly brings thousands of fans to Patoka, a community of fewer than 600 residents. Baldridge will headline the hometown celebration, joined by country artist Adam Sanders.
The festival partnership is part of Rural King’s newly expanded 2026 relationship with Baldridge, focused on creating local experiences and adding value in the communities Rural King serves.
“Drew’s connection to small-town communities and the rural lifestyle makes this partnership such a natural fit for Rural King,” said Rural King Vice President of Marketing, Sourcing and Private Label Heath Ashenfelter. “The BIG Baldridge & Bonfire is a special event for Patoka, and we’re excited to help make the experience even more memorable for the thousands of fans who come together in Drew’s hometown each year.”
As presenting partner, Rural King will bring several on-site experiences to festivalgoers, including a Rural King tent offering free popcorn and water and a branded, fall-themed photo booth. Rural King is also making tickets available to associates as part of the company’s involvement in the event.
For Baldridge, the partnership brings together two parts of his own small-town Illinois upbringing.
“Rural King is a big part of where I grew up. I used to go there with my grandpa, and anytime we needed anything, Rural King was always our first stop. It brings back a lot of great childhood memories, and even today, it’s one of my favorite places to stop when I’m back home. Rural King fits my country lifestyle to a T, so I’m really excited to partner with them to put on my hometown festival,” Baldridge said.
The BIG Baldridge & Bonfire will take place at Patoka Village Hall, 301 S. Oak St. in Patoka. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the show beginning at 6 p.m. Baldridge is set to perform fan favorites including his No. 1 hit “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” top 10 single “Tough People,” and recent releases “A Man Don’t,” “Maker’s Mark” and more.
Media assets are available here.
For additional event information and tickets, visit the official BIG Baldridge & Bonfire event page on Bandsintown.
About Rural King
Rural King, also known as RK Holdings, LLP, planted its roots as America’s Farm and Home Store in Mattoon, Illinois, in 1960. Since that time, Rural King has grown to more than 150 stores in 17 states. Rural King offers the lowest prices on a broad range of essential goods, food, feed, seed and other farm and home necessities to the communities we serve throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. We welcome and encourage everyone to enjoy our longstanding tradition of offering free popcorn and coffee every time you visit our stores.
About Drew Baldridge
Drew Baldridge continues to give fans exactly what they’ve been asking for: a steady stream of authentic country music rooted in the themes that define him — farm, faith and family. “A Man Don’t,” out now, anchors the FAMILY chapter of his highly anticipated album, FARM FAITH FAMILY, arriving September 18. The release follows “Maker’s Mark,” which introduced the FAITH chapter, and “Diesel & Dirt,” which served as the project’s introduction. The 16-track collection also features “Tough People,” Baldridge’s second consecutive Top 10 hit at country radio.
The new chapter builds on the momentum of Baldridge’s RIAA Platinum-certified breakthrough, “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” which reached No. 1 on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart and No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. The success made him the only self-funded artist to debut at No. 1 on Mediabase and the highest-charting independent artist in the history of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. The song has generated more than 2 billion streams and impressions and was recognized by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) as one of its prestigious “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written.”
Baldridge will spend 2026 on the road headlining his FARM FAITH FAMILY Tour, while also joining Cody Johnson and Luke Bryan on select dates. Following recent tours across Australia, the U.K. and Europe, both as a headliner and opening for Jelly Roll, he continues to expand his global audience while earning industry recognition, including being named a CRS New Faces of Country Music honoree and MusicRow’s 2025 Independent Artist of the Year.
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