Morgan Wallen's Gulf Shores Music Festival Returns for 2027 With Expanded Genre Mix
The event resumes in May after a one-year hiatus caused by a late franchise application, featuring headliners from country, rock, rap, and electronic music.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Morgan Wallen's Sand in My Boots Festival will return to Gulf Shores, Alabama, in May 2027 after taking a break from the calendar in 2026. The three-day event is scheduled for May 21 through 23. Passes are set to go on sale at 10 a.m. Central Time on Friday, November 6.
The 2027 lineup, announced on Monday, November 2, features Wallen, Ella Langley, and Kings of Leon as headliners. The bill spans multiple genres, including country, rock, rap, and electronic dance music. Country artists on the roster include Gavin Adcock, Koe Wetzel, Cole Swindell, Hudson Westbrook, and Vincent Mason. Rock acts Third Eye Blind and Kings of Leon join the lineup, while Nelly and Flo Rida represent the rap category. Norwegian DJ Kygo and the duo Empire of the Sun bring the electronic component.
The festival is a one-year hiatus following its inaugural run in 2025. The pause was not due to artistic or financial disputes but a procedural delay. Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft stated that organizers submitted their franchise renewal application too late. This timing issue meant the festival could not secure the specific tier of acts required to meet the city's standards for success in 2026. City officials and local business leaders believed the 2025 event attracted a desirable demographic of affluent and respectful attendees. They preferred a one-year pause over hosting a festival that might fail to draw that specific crowd.
The 2027 lineup reflects a continued focus on younger and exploratory artists rather than legacy country acts. While the 2025 festival featured Brooks & Dunn, the 2027 roster does not include similar veteran country groups. Cole Swindell and Midland appear to be the longest-running country acts on the current bill. The absence of legacy names aligns with the festival's original conception as a genre-blending experience.
The event serves a charitable purpose through the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The foundation supports sports and music programs for youth. In 2025, the organization donated more than $200,000 in musical instruments to five schools in Alabama. This charitable component remains a core part of the festival's identity alongside the musical programming.
Ticket options for the 2027 event will include various tiers. These tiers offer different amenities, such as premium viewing areas, in-ground swimming pools, exclusive merchandise bundles, and complimentary bars and dining. The pricing structure and specific details for these packages will be available when sales begin on November 6.
The 2025 edition established the festival's format and audience profile. The return in 2027 indicates that Wallen and his team have resolved the administrative issues that led to the 2026 cancellation. The lineup announcement confirms the event's scale and its commitment to a mixed-genre format. No further additions to the bill have been confirmed at this time, though the announcement date is more than six months before the event starts.
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