What Southern Entertainment does

Southern Entertainment is an independent live entertainment and festival production company headquartered in Charlotte, NC, founded in 1998 by hospitality operators who previously ran more than 100 Charlotte restaurants, bars, and live music venues. The company serves as a full-service production partner for festival organizers, municipal and tourism authorities, corporate clients, universities, and sports organizations across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast United States, delivering end-to-end services through eight integrated modules: event production, event operations, talent and entertainment booking, brand partnerships, hospitality and concessions, ticketing and guest experience, strategy and marketing, and private events.

The company operates a portfolio of proprietary festival brands including Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, SC (100,000+ attendees, ACM Festival of the Year nominee in 2022 and 2023), Barefoot Country Music Fest in Wildwood, NJ (Northeast's largest outdoor country music festival, established 2019), Greenville Country Music Fest in Simpsonville, SC (45,000+ attendees from 43 states), Lovin' Life Music Fest in Charlotte, NC (launched 2024), and Clemson Music Fest, plus recurring and one-off events such as SouthPark After 5, NBA Crossover Concert Series, ACC Fan Fest, Duke Mayo Bowl concessions, Grave Digger's Ball, Cola Jam, and the Carolina Country Music Cruise. Its operational technology stack includes RFID and credentialing systems, high-volume access-control scanning, multi-platform ticketing integration with Ticketmaster and AXS, digital lost-and-found tracking, and full-scale F&B concessions management. Talent procurement is anchored by strategic relationships with WME, CAA, and UTA, providing access to A-list touring acts.

Revenue is generated across five professional-services streams: event production, brand partnerships and sponsorships (60+ consumer brand relationships), talent and entertainment booking commissions, hospitality and F&B concessions management, and ticketing and guest experience services. Pricing is project-based and quote-driven, with no publicly disclosed rates. Southern Entertainment's owned festivals generate tens of millions of dollars in regional tourism impact, with CCMF alone credited with $40M-$50M+ in annual economic activity for the Grand Strand. The company employs 11–50 people, retains 60+ years of combined team expertise, and operates as an independent, privately held entity with no disclosed institutional ownership.

Name

Southern Entertainment

Legal name

Southern Entertainment

Website

https://southernentertainment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Entertainment is an independent Charlotte, NC-based live event and festival production company founded in 1998, operating owned festival brands (Carolina Country Music Fest, Barefoot Country Music Fest, Greenville Country Music Fest, Lovin' Life Music Fest) and providing end-to-end production, talent booking, hospitality, and marketing services to municipalities, corporations, universities, and sports organizations across the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Event Production & Festival Management

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAIAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Catering, Staffing & Guest Services (F&B, Security, Ushers) (MPAGAHAM), Corporate Venues & Location Rentals (Hotels, Ballrooms, Unique Venues) (MPAGAHAO)

Keywords

• Live event production
• Festival management
• Concert booking services
• Event hospitality services
• Music festival production

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Production Services: Full-service event production including multi-stage management, professional audio engineering, dynamic lighting design, LED video walls, stage management, backline support, power distribution, and technical staffing. Revenue is project-based, generated through contracts with festival organizers, corporate clients, municipalities, universities, and sports organizations.
2. Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships: Strategic sponsorship procurement, on-site brand activations, integrated marketing campaigns, experiential sampling, data capture, and custom content creation. Revenue generated through long-term brand partnership contracts with CPG, beverage, automotive, and lifestyle companies.
3. Talent & Entertainment Booking: A-List talent acquisition, emerging artist discovery, strategic programming, full contract & rider management, and on-site artist relations. Revenue generated through booking fees and commissions from artist procurement for events.
4. Hospitality & Concessions: Full-scale F&B concessions, professional bar service, chef-driven experiences, VIP catering, artist catering, and production catering. Revenue generated through food and beverage sales commissions and management fees.
5. Ticketing & Guest Experience: Turnkey box office management, white-glove will call, VIP concierge, credentialing, ADA services, and fan support. Revenue generated through ticketing operations fees and service charges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Southern Entertainment is a full-service live event production company delivering end-to-end services for music festivals, concerts, corporate activations, and sports events. Its offerings span eight integrated modules: event production, event operations, talent booking, brand partnerships, hospitality and concessions, ticketing and guest experience, strategy and marketing, and private events. The company also owns and operates proprietary festival brands including the ACM-nominated Carolina Country Music Fest and Barefoot Country Music Fest.

Product overview

Southern Entertainment is a live entertainment and festival production company operating since 1998 as a national leader in independent live-event production. The company operates a portfolio of branded music festival properties (Carolina Country Music Fest, Barefoot Country Music Fest, Lovin' Life Music Fest, Greenville Country Music Fest, Clemson Music Fest) alongside corporate and sports event services (NBA Crossover, ACC Fan Fest, Duke Mayo Bowl). Southern Entertainment's service platform comprises eight integrated modules: Event Production, Event Operations, Talent & Entertainment Booking, Brand Partnerships, Hospitality & Concessions, Ticketing & Guest Experience, Strategy & Marketing, and Private Events. The company also produces niche events including Grave Digger's Ball (Halloween), SouthPark After 5 (weekly concert series), Cola Jam, and the Carolina Country Music Cruise. These services are offered both as standalone offerings and bundled to support the company's owned festival brands and third-party client events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carolina Country Music Fest (CCMF) A 4-day outdoor country music festival held in Myrtle Beach, SC, featuring 40+ artists across multiple stages and drawing 100,000+ attendees. ACM Festival of the Year nominee (2022, 2023) and consistently ranked as a top 10 music festival in the USA by Festicket and Billboard.
• Barefoot Country Music Fest (BCMF) A 4-day family-friendly country music festival held in Wildwood, NJ, featuring 40+ artists and drawing 100,000+ attendees annually. Named a top 10 summer festival by NJ.com and top-rated 2022 festival by Press of Atlantic City.
• Lovin' Life Music Fest A three-day music festival in Uptown Charlotte, NC, featuring 40+ artists across three stages and drawing 35,000+ attendees. Recognized as a Top 10 'Best New Festival' by USA Today Readers' Choice Awards and backed by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
• Greenville Country Music Fest (GCMF) A 3-day country music festival held annually in Simpsonville, SC at CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park, featuring 30+ artists across 4 stages with camping and rodeo, and drawing 45,000+ attendees from 43 states.
• Clemson Music Fest A two-day music festival held at Clemson University Campus featuring pop, indie, hip-hop, and electronic artists with local food vendors, art installations, and interactive activities for the Clemson community.
• SouthPark After 5 Charlotte's largest weekly after-work happy hour and free entertainment celebration in Symphony Park, featuring local and regional rock, country, jazz, and tribute bands with 5,000+ weekly attendees.
• NBA Crossover Concert Series Annual event bringing together top-tier artists for performances alongside NBA All-Star weekend, featuring Grammy Award-winning artists and rising stars combining music and basketball entertainment.
• ACC Fan Fest Free outdoor event held in Uptown Charlotte near Bank of America Stadium as a prelude to the ACC Football Championship Game, featuring a beer garden, food trucks, interactive games, LED boards, and support for the Extra Yard for Teachers Foundation.
• Cola Jam A music festival event produced by Southern Entertainment featuring live music, food, and entertainment programming.
• Duke Mayo Bowl Concessions Services Food and beverage concessions management for the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, including FanFest activations, VIP suite catering, and branded culinary experiences for 75,000+ attendees.
• Grave Digger's Ball Charlotte's largest and most iconic Halloween celebration, transforming Uptown Charlotte into a world-class concert venue with national headlining talent, high-impact production, and costume contests.
• Carolina Country Music Cruise A sold-out 5-night Caribbean cruise departing from Charleston, SC, featuring country music performances, excursions, and on-board amenities with stops in Nassau and Princess Cays.
• Event Production Service Multi-stage management, professional audio engineering, dynamic lighting design, LED video walls, stage management, backline support, power distribution, and technical staffing for events ranging from intimate acoustic sets to 8-stage festival environments with 65+ artists.
• Event Operations Service Turnkey site management, high-volume access control, perimeter fencing, RFID credentialing, signage, traffic and parking logistics, heavy equipment, sanitation, and safety and security coordination.
• Talent & Entertainment Booking Service A-list talent acquisition, intimate acoustic sessions, emerging artist discovery, strategic programming, contract and rider management, on-site artist relations, and festival brand integration.
• Brand Partnerships Service Strategic sponsorship procurement, turnkey on-site activations, integrated marketing campaigns, retail displays, sponsorship fulfillment, experiential sampling, data capture, custom content creation, and post-event analytics.
• Hospitality & Concessions Service Full-scale F&B concessions, professional bar service, chef-driven experiences, Super VIP food and chalets, artist and tour catering, production and staff catering, complete event staffing, and turnkey management.
• Ticketing & Guest Experience Service Turnkey box office management, white-glove will call, multi-platform integration with ticketing providers, proactive customer support, VIP concierge, credentialing and wristbanding, ADA services, information hubs, and lost and found systems.
• Strategy & Marketing Service Comprehensive event branding, full-scale media buying across digital and traditional channels, data-driven fan insights, social media management, influencer collaborations, public relations, email and SMS lifecycle marketing, grassroots coordination, and post-event analytics.
• Private Events Service Bespoke private event production including custom site management, professional audio engineering, dynamic lighting design, LED video walls, stage management, backline support, power distribution, technical staffing, and site infrastructure for intimate gatherings to private concert environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carolina Country Music Fest generates $40M-$50M+ in annual revenue for the Grand Strand region
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

35 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• StubHubflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 June 2026StubHub announced key partnerships with Southern Entertainment, Danny Wimmer Presents, and Pryor Creek Music Festivals for its new FestProtect festival protection platform. This is the first major ticketing platform to introduce festival-specific protections for weather cancellations, artist dropouts, and scheduling conflicts. Southern Entertainment's festivals will offer StubHub's FanProtect Guarantee to attendees.
• Danny Wimmer PresentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Danny Wimmer Presents is a key festival production partner alongside Southern Entertainment and Pryor Creek Music Festivals for StubHub's FestProtect platform launch.
• Pryor Creek Music FestivalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Pryor Creek Music Festivals is a key festival production partner alongside Southern Entertainment and Danny Wimmer Presents for StubHub's FestProtect platform launch.
• Molson CoorsminorOthers · 1 May 2024Molson Coors is involved in legal proceedings related to a lawsuit involving Southern Entertainment, country singer Jameson Rodgers, and others regarding an incident at a performance in New Jersey.
• Sony MusicminorOthers · 1 May 2024Sony Music is involved in legal proceedings related to a lawsuit involving Southern Entertainment, country singer Jameson Rodgers, and others. The case addresses jurisdiction issues concerning Sony Music's involvement.
• Coors LightcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoors Light is a prominent brand partner of Southern Entertainment, featuring at live events through branding, activations, and experiential marketing.
• Coca-ColacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola is a brand partner providing beverage sponsorship and brand activations at Southern Entertainment festivals.
• McDonald'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMcDonald's is a brand partner at Southern Entertainment events with food concessions and brand activations.
• BudweisercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBudweiser is a prominent beer brand partner featuring at Southern Entertainment festivals through bar activations and sponsorship.
• Dunkin'coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDunkin' is a brand partner featuring at events with food and beverage offerings.
• Southwest AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthwest Airlines is a brand partner providing travel partnerships for festival attendees.
• Dodge RamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDodge Ram is an automotive brand partner with activations at Southern Entertainment events.
• HondaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHonda is an automotive brand partner with activations at Southern Entertainment events.
• Michelob UltracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMichelob Ultra is a beer brand partner featuring at Southern Entertainment festivals.
• Miller LitecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMiller Lite is a beer brand partner at Southern Entertainment events.
• Blue MoonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Moon is a beer brand partner featuring at events.
• Jack Daniel'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJack Daniel's is a whiskey brand partner with bar activations and sponsorship.
• Tito's Handmade VodkacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTito's Handmade Vodka is a spirit brand partner at Southern Entertainment events.
• Monster EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMonster Energy is an energy drink brand partner with sampling and activations.
• Planet FitnessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanet Fitness is a fitness brand partner with activations at events.
• Visit Myrtle BeachcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit Myrtle Beach is a tourism partner for Carolina Country Music Fest, providing regional marketing and destination promotion.
• I Love NYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerI Love NY is a tourism brand partner for Barefoot Country Music Fest in New Jersey.
• USAAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUSAA is a brand partner with military-affiliated messaging and support.
• MarinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerU.S. Marine Corps is a brand partner with recruitment and awareness activations.
• WME (William Morris Endeavor)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite talent agency providing strategic partnerships for A-list talent acquisition and booking of global touring acts.
• CAA (Creative Artists Agency)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite talent agency providing strategic partnerships for talent booking and artist relations.
• UTA (United Talent Agency)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite talent agency providing strategic partnerships for talent acquisition and booking.
• Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner backing Lovin' Life Music Fest as a major cultural and economic catalyst for Charlotte.
• Brittain Resorts & HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHospitality partner providing accommodation partnerships for event attendees.
• Stand Up To CancerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partner with Southern Entertainment supporting cancer research initiatives.
• Folds of HonorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partner supporting military family education scholarships.
• Special Operations Wounded Warriors (SOWW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partner supporting special operations wounded warriors.
• Governor Henry McMastercoreOthersGovernor Henry McMaster has formally recognized Carolina Country Music Fest for a decade of tourism growth and cultural contribution with official proclamations.
• City of Myrtle BeachcoreOthersCity of Myrtle Beach has formally recognized Carolina Country Music Fest for tourism growth and cultural contribution.
• City of WildwoodcoreOthersCity of Wildwood officially designated Barefoot Country Music Fest week as BCMF Week and designated the festival as an economic catalyst.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Outback Presents: Outback Presents is a boutique concert and festival promoter producing branded country and Americana festivals. Comparable to Southern Entertainment as an independent promoter with a similar multi-module offering across production, talent, and sponsorships in the country/roots segment.
• Danny Wimmer Presents: Danny Wimmer Presents is one of the largest independent festival production companies in the U.S. (Bourbon & Beyond, Welcome to Rockville, Sonic Temple). Directly comparable to Southern Entertainment as a co-launch partner for StubHub's FestProtect platform, with a similar end-to-end production and sponsorship model across owned festival IP.
• Pryor Creek Music Festivals: Pryor Creek Music Festivals is an independent festival producer (Rocklahoma, Country Thunder) named alongside Southern Entertainment as a launch partner for StubHub's FestProtect. Direct peer in independent country/rock festival production with comparable scale and sponsor-driven business model.
• Messina Touring Group: Messina Touring Group is a Nashville-based independent concert and festival promoter producing country music tours and festivals. Directly comparable to Southern Entertainment as a country-music-focused independent producer with strong talent agency relationships and similar festival ownership economics.
• Superfly (Bonnaroo organizer): Superfly is the independent producer behind Bonnaroo Music Festival and Outside Lands. Directly comparable to Southern Entertainment as an independent festival producer with owned-IP marquee events and integrated brand activation capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• C3 Presents: C3 Presents produces Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza (in multiple countries), and other marquee festivals. Directly comparable to Southern Entertainment as an independent festival producer with deep agency and brand relationships, though at a much larger scale.
• AEG Presents: AEG Presents is the live entertainment and concert promotion arm of AEG, producing major festivals (Coachella, Stagecoach) and touring acts. Comparable to Southern Entertainment in end-to-end festival production and brand sponsorship, but operates at a substantially larger scale and with broader genre coverage.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Live Nation is the world's largest live entertainment company, operating Ticketmaster and producing thousands of concerts and festivals annually. Comparable to Southern Entertainment as the dominant incumbent in festival promotion, but at vastly greater scale and with vertically integrated ticketing infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Red Mountain Entertainment: Red Mountain Entertainment is a Birmingham-based regional event producer with comparable festival and corporate event offerings in the Southeast U.S. Partially overlapping with Southern Entertainment in regional Southeast event production, though at a smaller scale and more concentrated geography.

Others

• Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority: CRVA is a strategic partner and tourism authority backing Southern Entertainment's Lovin' Life Music Fest. Listed as an OTHERS rather than competitor because it serves as a destination marketing organization and event ecosystem partner rather than a production peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/southernentco
• Facebookfacebook.com/southernentco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-entertainment-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Entertainment