NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ahead of the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) return to Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Arena on August 21-22, the league has announced the complete programming for the PBR Tailgate Party, presented by Pendleton Whisky, and PBR After Hours Celebration, presented by Coors Banquet and Pendleton Whisky, which will bring the Music City a complete day of action-packed festivities on Saturday, August 21, including the opening round of the PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires, a stop on the elite Unleash The Beast tour.
The fan-attended PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires, August 21-22 marks the 23rd iteration of the tour stop and will feature the Top 40 bull riders in the world going head-to-head against the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast – the only sport that pits a lightweight against a heavyweight in epic 8-second confrontations.
Prior to action getting underway inside the home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, the league will host the free-to-attend PBR Tailgate Party, presented by Pendleton Whisky on the Plaza in front of Bridgestone Arena beginning at 2:00 p.m. CDT.
Following the PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, all fans are invited to attend the PBR After Hours Celebration, presented by Coors Banquet and Pendleton Whisky, at Loser’s Downtown Bar and Grill starting at 9:30 p.m. CDT.
At the PBR Tailgate Party, the league will host its first-ever Professional Mechanical Bull Riders Challenge.
From 2:00-5:00 p.m., for $10/entry, eventgoers 18 or older will be able to compete in the tournament’s qualifying rounds. At the end of the three-hour period, the 16 competitors who stayed on the mechanical bull the longest will advance to the championship round. In the final round, each of the Top 16 competitors will climb aboard the mechanical bull one final time in an effort to be crowned the winner.
The Professional Mechanical Bull Riders Challenge winner will receive a PBR prize pack and two tickets to the PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires.
The PBR Tailgate Party will also feature a LIVE performance by Woods Weston at 5:30 p.m. CDT. A singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Weston was a semifinalist for Team Adam from Season 1 of NBC’s “The Voice,” performing as Casey Weston. Weston has traveled across the United States and Canada, opening for the likes of Justin Moore, James Otto, John Anderson and Craig Morgan.
Weston will be joined by fellow recording artist Donny Lee, 2021 ACMA (Alberta Country Music Awards) Award Winner for Fans Choice Artist, who will also perform in the hours prior to the PBR event.
Lee’s performance inside Bridgestone Arena will begin at 5:15 p.m. as fans begin to enter the arena ahead of the PBR Unleash The Beast event.
In 2017, Lee released his first album, ‘Who I am,’ followed closely by his second album in late 2018, ‘Better Believe It,” produced by CCMA Award-winning producer Bart McKay. In 2021, Lee released his first song on the U.S. charts, with ‘Got Me This Far,” currently in the Top 60 of MusicRow’s Country Breakout Radio Chart.
A true embodiment of the Cowboy spirit, Lee is committed to giving back to the communities that have helped him in his career. To date, Lee has donated more than $20,000 to Canadian and U.S. food banks, as well as hundreds of tickets to the less fortunate for his self-promoted concerts.
In addition to the Professional Mechanical Bull Riders Challenge and musical performances, the PBR Tailgate Party will also feature a cash bar with Coors Banquet and Pendleton Whisky available for purchase for those 21 and older, in addition to the PBR merchandise trailer.
Following the Unleash The Beast event inside Bridgestone Arena, the pomp will continue at Loser’s Downtown Bar and Grill for the PBR After Hours Celebration featuring drink specials and more.
The PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires, will follow all local and state health directives, and alongside Bridgestone Arena, take into consideration guidance from the Metro Board of Health, Mayor John Cooper’s Office, and Vanderbilt Health, while activating the league’s “Be Cowboy Safe,” plan.
The bull riding action for the PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires, in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena begins at 6:45 p.m. CDT on Saturday, August 21, and at 1:45 p.m. CDT on Sunday, August 22.
Tickets for the two-day event are on sale now and start at $20, taxes and fees not included. Positioned closest to the action and including a Q&A session with top talent from the PBR, Elite Seats will also be available for $400. Tickets can be purchased online at TicketMaster.com or PBR.com, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can now purchase add-on PBR Premium Experiences, which will include the Elite Experience, in-person meet-and-greets, and Bubbly and Bulls Ladies Clinic.
The Elite Experience and in-person meet-and-greets will be available on August 21-22.
The Elite Experience, available for $75, will include a Q&A session with a select group of the league’s top riders, bullfighters and stock contractors, exclusive merchandise item, concession voucher and commemorative lanyard, while the meet-and-greets, available for $50, will feature two of the event’s competing riders, with the purchasers also receiving an exclusive autograph card.
Offered on Saturday, August 21 at 4:30 p.m. CDT, the Bubbly and Bulls Ladies Clinic is an afternoon of champagne wishes and cowboy dreams, with purchasers getting behind-the-ride insights from the league’s top stock contractor, bull riders, and more.
Complete travel packages will also be available for $1,200, including a two-day hotel stay, two event tickets, daily food and beverage voucher, behind-the-scenes tour, and more.
For more information on PBR Premium Experiences, and to purchase the Elite Experience and other add-ons, including the complete travel packages, for the PBR Ariat Music City Knockout, presented by Cooper Tires, in Nashville visit https://pbr.com/tickets/premium-experiences/.
