Happy Harry's Hot Valley Nights 2024 draws a crowd for country acts, both local and national

Aug. 17—EAST GRAND FORKS — When audience members at Happy Harry's Hot Valley Nights saw a large, white cowboy hat emerge from the shadowy backstage Friday night, they erupted in applause. They knew the hat was worn by Neal McCoy, who headlined the first night of the annual two-day event by playing his hits, engaging the crowd and even cracking a few jokes.

Justin LaRocque, the organizer of Hot Valley Nights, said the event was going smoothly and that it gets better each year.

"You get more efficient, you become more organized," he said. "You find ways to just make everything better."

Hot Valley Nights, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16-17, at the Riverwalk Center Parking Lot near the River Cinema, drew a crowd with its beer garden, food trucks, games and musical entertainment. Friday night's show began with local band Paint the Town, followed by national acts Mark Wills and McCoy.

Another local band, the Jimmy River Band, played on a side stage between sets Friday and Saturday and was the first act on the big stage Saturday, to be followed by three national acts: Ty Herndon, Phil Vassar and Craig Morgan.

LaRocque said Saturday was the first time Hot Valley Nights had three national acts in one day. It also was the first time Hot Valley Nights had a fireworks show, scheduled to begin at 9:15 p.m. and last 15 minutes.

A day that began with cool temperatures and rain turned into a perfect Friday evening to be outdoors, contrasting with the hot temperatures that dominated the 2023 Happy Harry's Hot Valley Nights.

During McCoy's performance Friday, the audience responded loudly to his jokes, references and calls for people to sing along with him. Members of the crowd swung each other around in dances, or held each other close and swayed to the music. It all was appreciated by Hailey Jordheim.

"I think the crowd is very polite. You want to be in the crowd, you want to have fun," she said.

Her sentiment was shared by her friend Kendall Stastny, who enjoyed the vibes of the event. Other friends Sierra Robles and Linzy Pesch also liked the personality of the venue. Pesch arrived with Robles, who said she has been coming to Hot Valley Nights for three years.

"I just keep coming back," she said. "It's a good environment. There's drinks, there's music. It's just a good time."

The group cheered with others in the crowd for Mark Wills' final song, "19 Somethin'," a Gold-certified selection that was a six-week No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and one of his biggest hits to date. Wills has traveled across the world to entertain U.S. troops and has released 19 charting singles across seven albums. He earned the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Male Vocalist in 1998.

McCoy, who rose to prominence in the '90s with multiple Top 10 hits and humanitarian awards from the Academy of Country Music, The Country Radio Broadcasters and the Masonic Grand Lodge under his belt, took the stage at approximately 9:30 p.m. He shook hands and high-fived members of the crowd before launching his set with a cover of "The Boys Are Back In Town." Other tunes he and the band performed included "The City That Put The Country Back In Me," which McCoy credited from his first hit album, as well as "They're Playin' Our Song," "The Shake" and "Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone." McCoy also sang "I Like It Loud," which he said will be in an upcoming album, and Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror."

Throughout his performance, McCoy interacted directly with the crowd, cracking jokes, asking questions and signing one woman's white cowboy boot. He danced along to the music and made reference to the night's last call at 10:45 p.m.

"Y'all have to make sure to buy us a drink, the band, before 10:45," he said.