The majority of the musical talent has been signed, and the third Bradley 315 Music Fest is slated for a three-night show in early June.

Country music star Chris Young, one of Billboard’s top country artists of the decade, will headline the event held in the Northfield Square mall parking lot on June 4, 5, and 6.

The three-night event will feature rock music on Thursday, June 4, and Friday, June 5, and will switch to country music and headliner Chris Young on Saturday, June 6.

Festival tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. March 13 at bradley315.org.

Bradley-based manufacturing company Peddinghaus Corp. remains the festival’s title sponsor as it has for the previous two festivals. Title sponsorship is a $15,000 commitment.

There will be noticeable changes this year. The event will not include the carnival nor the Sunday talent show and games. Both events lacked participation, Mayor Mike Watson said.

The village is investing $325,000 for this year’s show. Last year the village spent $700,000 on music acts which included country music legendary band, Alabama, as well as rapper Flo Rida and rock band, Daughtry.

The fest took a financial hit in 2025 as Mother Nature rained on the event Friday and Saturday nights, driving down attendance. The 2025 event lost approximately $289,000, reported Bradley finance director Rob Romo. Romo said there are still some final accounting details to be ironed out regarding 2025.

The 2024 music fest also came up in the negative column, but far less than the loss of 2025. In 2024, the festival had a negative balance of $28,738, but this included many one-time expenses such as the construction of 16 private music suites and perimeter fencing.

Event co-coordinator Heatherann Olson said the latest rendition of the event will feature a heavier presence of rock music.

Thursday, June 4

The Thursday lineup will be anchored by Buckcherry, the hard rock band that burst onto the scene in the 1990s. The band’s 1999 debut album delivered the No. 1 rock hit, “Lit Up,” and their platinum-certified 2006 album, “15,” produced anthems such as the raucous “Crazy Bitch” and heartfelt “Sorry.”

Kicking off Thursday night’s performance will be local favorites Southside Social Club and Stone Type Thing.

Friday, June 5

Rock music is again the genre, and the band Warrant will be the featured performer for the evening. The three other bands playing Friday prior to Warrant are Firehouse, Dokken and Lita Ford.

The order of the performances has not yet been set.

The night promises electrifying performances, classic hits, and an atmosphere to bring the audience back to the golden age of rock, said Olson.

Saturday, June 6

On Saturday, Young will showcase his remarkable career, blending country tradition, modern flair, and heartfelt storytelling to the stage.

A Grand Ole Opry member and global arena headliner, Young is a Country Music Television Award winner and a nominee for Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards, Country Music Awards and Grammy awards.

As a songwriter and producer, he has earned 54 Recording Industry Association of America certifications, cementing his place in the evolving landscape of country music.

Local band, James Michael Travis, will open the stage on Saturday. An additional national act is planned to be announced soon for the Saturday performance, Olson said.

Suites fully rented

Olson said for the third straight year all 16 pods are rented before ticket sales have started. The per-pod rental fee is $6,000.

Olson is targeting a three-day attendance draw of 20,000.

She noted she is working with Mother Nature to make sure the 2026 event is free of rain.

Olson noted the event is simply a way of providing entertainment for area residents as well as music lovers from through the greater region.

“We are just looking for a good, fun event. We just want people to have fun,” she said.

Watson said while bringing in big-name acts is exciting, there can be risks involved.

“Sometimes chasing bigger names doesn’t bring the return needed. It’s just the way the cards were dealt, but we are still committed to the event,” Watson said.