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Live music day and night at Ponoka Stampede’s new Big Top Tent Dance Hall

Tent replaces beer gardens and will be located right on the Stampede Grounds
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Hailey Benedict. (Photo by Travis Nesbit)

The beer gardens will no longer be held at the Ponoka Arena Complex, but are coming right to the Ponoka Stampede Grounds as the new-and-improved “Big Top Tent Dance Hall.”

While taking a break and grabbing a cold one, fans will also be treated to live entertainment, with both afternoon and evening performances. Evening shows will start after the chuckwagon races conclude and afternoon sets will be from 4:3o to 6:15 p.m.

First in the lineup on June 27 is Kendra Kay after the chucks. Raised on the prairies, Kay is known for her powerhouse vocals, down to earth personality and high energy shows. The rising star plays shows across Canada with her five-piece band.

June 28 afternoon is Alecia Aichelle, a familiar face around central Alberta. Her latest single Let Freedom Reign, released this year, is all about light, love and positivity. She will also perform June 28 and July 1 during the afternoon.

Will Randall will take the stage June 28 in the evening. The singer-songwriter, who now calls Alberta home, came in the Top 23 in Canadian Idol Season 4 and has shared the stage with well-known country artists Josh Turner, Dwight Yoakam and more.

READ MORE: 4 exciting acts on the big stage at this year’s Ponoka Stampede

Canada and Nashville based singer Donny Lee will perform June 29 and 30 in the afternoon. He has made his mark in the musical world since singing in the Carson City band as a young adult. He still sings and strums on the guitar with his wife Shauna. Lee will also perform June 29 in the tent, after the Colter Wall concert.

Rising country star Hailey Benedict will perform June 30 after the Aaron Goodvin concert. She was pulled on stage back in 2016 in front of 20,000 fans at a Keith Urban concert. She ended up singing an original song, with video of the performance going viral.

Country singer Karac Hendriks will perform in the tent July 1 after a concert and July 2 in the afternoon. The singer worked as a supporting guitarist and harmony vocalist for many years for some of Canada’s biggest country music acts before taking center stage himself.

To see the full performance schedule, check out ponokastampede.com.

More Ponoka Stampede coverage

Stay tuned from now until the start of the Ponoka Stampede for all you need to know about concerts, rodeo action, entertainment and attractions. Stories will be posted every day from now until the action kicks off on June 27. Check out our page on Ponoka News for all things Ponoka Stampede, now and during Stampede Week for daily coverage.