Smokin' Country Jam

Creating a new festival from the ground up meant we had to differentiate it from past events, communicate the added BBQ competition, and rally the community’s enthusiasm despite the change in tradition. The challenge lay in capturing the nostalgia of Suwannee River Jam while introducing a fresh, unique identity that balanced both the musical and culinary elements.

After brainstorming names, I proposed Riverfest, reflecting our park's location on the historic Suwannee River. This name resonated initially, but adding the BBQ competition meant rethinking the festival's name to convey country music and barbecue. After some brainstorming and a few AI prompts later, Smokin Country Jam™ was born. It was either that or "Smokin' In The Pines," but we didn't want to attract the wrong crowd. With input from our team, They loved how the new name captured the energy and authenticity we wanted.

I then developed over 100 initial logo concepts all over again, iterating and refining them based on management's feedback. The selected logo incorporated visual cues from the country and BBQ themes, emphasizing a rustic feel that would resonate with our audience. Located in a tiny town in the north Florida/South Georgia area (Live Oak), our festivals are a Big deal here, and a country Music Festival has always made sense. All local businesses look forward to our events, which will bring a tremendous economic boost to our local community. Our biggest festival, Hula, brings over 30,000 people from around the globe, and that number grows yearly. www.SuwanneeHulaween.com 

To capture the right aesthetic, I researched similar festivals, curating mood boards inspired by successful barbecue and music events. After putting together my own spin on my personal favorites, also keeping in mind our location, the crowd that came to our River Jam festival, and as few other factors, I then presented these boards to our team. Together, we chose a cohesive theme that blended rugged textures, warm tones, and a rustic Southern feel. This visual direction laid the groundwork for every piece of branding, from social media assets to physical signage.

Creating Smokin Country Jam meant developing a fresh brand identity and building an engaging online presence from the ground up. With the Suwannee River Jam website no longer in use, I needed to design a new site that would capture the spirit of both the music and the BBQ competition, drawing in fans of the original festival while reaching a new audience.

The challenge was to design a site that would showcase the festival’s unique mix of country music and barbecue culture in a way that felt familiar yet exciting. From structuring the event details and ticketing information to integrating a vibrant, cohesive visual style, the website had to embody the new festival’s identity and spark excitement in the community. With subtle wood textures, warm color palettes, and a layout that emphasized accessibility and visual storytelling, I built the Smokin Country Jam website to be as inviting and memorable as the event itself. www.SmokinCountryJam.com

• Press Release and Marketing Collateral:
  I authored a press release outlining the event’s details and significance, which went through several rounds of feedback with our leadership team. Once finalized, it was distributed to our marketing coordinator for publication across all channels. This proactive approach resulted in immediate engagement from the local press and community.

• Comprehensive Visual and Digital Assets:
  Using the established visual style, I designed posters, social media graphics, tickets, and on-site signage that echoed the event’s unique Southern and BBQ-inspired look. The goal was to create a brand experience that felt cohesive and immersive from the moment people saw the first promotional image.

• Community Response and Engagement:
  The community’s response was overwhelmingly positive. Phones began ringing off the hook, and emails poured in with questions about participation in the BBQ and line dancing competitions. The “Kicking Country Cuties” line dancing competition quickly became a local favorite, generating even more excitement for the event. Plans are now being considered for adding a rodeo component in future iterations, all thanks to the community’s enthusiastic support. Press Release PDF

With the festival framework established, it was time to start gaining sponsors. We initially reached out to past sponsors from Suwannee River Jam, leveraging existing relationships to garner interest in Smokin Country Jam. This required creating a brand-new Sponsorship Proposal tailored to showcase the unique appeal of this fresh festival concept

 Sponsorship Proposal PDF

Smokin Country Jam has already seen success in driving community interest and engagement, laying a strong foundation for future years. The branding strategy, cohesive visual identity, and tailored promotional efforts have helped create an event that resonates deeply with our target audience. Thanks to the collaborative efforts and thorough planning, the event has received significant attention and positive feedback, positioning it as a new flagship event for the park and a memorable experience for attendees.