'It’s been great': Country fans not bothered by rain or mud at YQM Festival

Mud pooling at the YQM Country Music Festival, as the festival has seen some wet weather. (CTV/Derek Haggett)

For the third straight day, over 20,000 country music fanatics gathered in a grassy, and muddy, field in Dieppe.

Concert goers at the YQM Festival have seen some of country’s biggest names, and they’ve also experienced some wet weather.

It rained periodically during Friday night’s show and it has rained off and on all day long in the Greater Moncton-area on Saturday.

But that didn’t put a damper on the festivities.

Stephanie Madden was there for the third-straight day and wasn’t bothered at all by the heavy chance of rain.

“Not at all. We’re used to the rain. We’re Maritimers,” said Madden. “I camp in the rain. It does not bother me.”

The precipitation wasn’t an issue for Janessa Peterson either.

“No. It’s going to be so much more fun, for sure. We brought ponchos and we’re ready to roll,” said Peterson.

Connor Henderson was there with his sister and father.

“It’s a bit of a bummer but at the same time it just adds to the fun. Everyone’s in a good mood and there’s no one that’s sad around here,” said Conner.

His dad Ross thought the rain might just add to the fun.

“I’ve been at some of these in my younger years and it was a lot of fun when it rained,” said Ross.

Nate Smith got the day started at 3:00 p.m., just as the skies opened up again.

Before his show started, Smith told CTV News back stage it’s fun playing in wet weather, but it can also be a challenge.

“I think as an artist, we kind of love the idea of playing in the rain just because we’re artistic and stuff like that, but it does pose problems for the equipment and the fans are getting cold and stuff like that and muddy. But at the end of the day it’s a memory,” said Smith.

Saturday was Smith’s first performance in the Maritimes.

“What I’ve always heard about Canadian fans in general is that they’re the most wild, passionate fans for country music ever,” said Smith. “I’m excited to be here.”

And so are the fans who have seen massive headliners like Morgan Wallen on Thursday and Keith Urban on Friday.

Thomas Rhett is Saturday’s headliner.

Many who came early to see Smith’s mid-afternoon performance were there for their third-straight day and have been blown away by the talent they’ve seen so far this weekend.

“It’s been great,” said Maggie Creamer. “We’ve been down in the pit for the whole time. We’ve had fun. It’s been a good time. A lot of good performers.”

Megan Shaw never thought she would see artists like this in New Brunswick.

“The lineup from start to finish is fantastic. We’re so lucky to be able to experience that,” said Shaw.

Paterson was attending YQM for the second time and went to the inaugural festival last summer.

“It’s very much more well-organized this year than last year and the layout is better,” said Peterson. “They took people’s criticism to heart, in a good way, and really made it the best they possibly could this year around.”

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