Countdown to Rock the South: What to know before you go

Aug. 4—It's all over but the strummin', the singin' and the country-flavored partyin'. After months of planning and a busy week of final preparations at the sprawling York Farms venue where Rock the South will unfold, all that's left is for the guests to arrive in Cullman — and for the artists to take the stage.

This year's Rock the South music festival features a typically robust lineup of acts that span the breadth and historic depth of the twangy side of entertainment. Alabama is set to play to an appreciative home crowd as Friday's evening headliner, followed Saturday night by Morgan Wallen, winner of this year's Academy of Country Music album of the year award on the strength of his chart-topping double album "Dangerous."

Parking for general admission on both days of the event opens at 12 p.m., with gates to the venue opening at 2 p.m. Music begins at 3:30 on both Friday and Saturday, with a lineup of artists including Jamey Johnson, Anne Wilson, Colt Ford, and tons more taking fans into the evening's headlining hours. Alabama and Wallen each are slated to take the stage at around 10 p.m. on their respective nights; live music will keep the party going in between sets all weekend long from Nashville-based DJ Deejay Silver.

York Farms lies just west of Interstate 65, but reaching it by car isn't necessarily an intuitive endeavor to anyone but the locals. With out-of-town traffic pouring in from all directions on both I-65 and U.S. Highway 278, getting to and from the concert site will likely require a little advance planning tempered by a generous helping of patience.

County Road 469 serves as the main two-lane access road for vehicles that take the I-65's 308 exit and approach the site from the north via Highway 278. County Road 436 (via County Road 469's southern end) serves traffic that will stream in from the Interstate's Good Hope-area pair of southern exits (Exit 305 at County Road 222 and Exit 304 at Highway 69).

Those roads will be closed to all guest traffic beyond the designated RTS parking areas that lie a significant walking distance from the venue. County Road 436, which runs east and west and traverses I-65, will be closed to traffic just west of its intersection with Logan Avenue SW / Leonard Road, where parking areas will connect to the venue by pedestrian-only walking paths and shuttle service.

Private paid parking will also be available along the county roads leading toward the venue, though motorists will be at the mercy of the same road closures that apply across the board unless they arrive early or have made prior guest arrangements that comply with the festival's traffic plan.

In a slight tweak to previous RTS festivals, this year's event will funnel all guests through a single main entrance onto the concert grounds. The entrance gate lies at the venue's northern end, and each guest will be subject to a metal detector scan in order to gain entry. Firearms, knives, outside food and drink, laser pointers, and any recording equipment more sophisticated than a mobile phone or pocket camera all are not allowed. Visit the event's FAQ page online at rockthesouth.com/faq for a full listing of prohibited items, as well as answers to other common questions.

Weather-wise, the forecast calls for a pair of near-identical days on both Friday and Saturday, with hot and humid afternoons reaching into the low 90s. While the sun is out, there's a 30 percent chance of rain on both days, though that figure drops to 10-20 percent during the evenings. As always, though, check the weather before you head out: It's summertime in Alabama, and conditions can change rapidly.

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.