GONZALES — Cowboy boots and country hits are taking over Gonzales this weekend as the first-ever Boots on the Bayou kicks off at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center. The two-day country music festival is expected to draw more than 30,000 people from four different countries. A massive turnout that city leaders say will make a major impact on the local economy.

Organizers say Boots on the Bayou is more than just a concert — it’s a new signature event designed to put Ascension Parish on the map as a Louisiana music destination. The festival lineup features some of country music’s biggest names, including Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Parker McCollum and Riley Green.

“We are expecting anywhere from 25 to 35 thousand people a day,” Kyle Rogers, General Manager at Lamar Dixon, said. “We are completely built for that to be super comfortable.”

Those thousands of fans are expected to fill hotels, restaurants and local shops across the parish, creating what Rogers calls an economic ripple effect that stretches across the region.

“The economic impact is immeasurable,” Rogers said. “It’s going to be millions upon millions of dollars funneled into not only Gonzales and Ascension Parish but into the entire capital region and South Louisiana.”

Local artist Chase Tyler is helping kick off the festival on opening day. For him, performing on a hometown stage of this size is a full-circle moment.

“I’m kind of known as very high energetic,” Tyler said. “I love music, I love feeding off of the crowd and this is going to be one of the biggest stages I’ve ever played.”

Tyler says Lamar Dixon is one of the few venues in the region that can handle a crowd of this size and scale. “There will be a lot of people, there will be long lines, we expect that,” he said. “But it’s going to be worth it.”

As the music fills the air and visitors pour in, Gonzales is hoping Boots on the Bayou becomes more than a one-time event, but a new Louisiana tradition.

Tickets for the festival can be found here.