Jimmie Allen returned home to Delaware over the weekend for his second annual Bettie James Fest, a musical event that he created specifically to have a hometown connection.
“This is the place that made me,” he explains to ET Online. “I grew up literally about a mile across that soybean field over there.”
Jimmie’s hometown of Milton, Delaware, isn’t a major destination for country festivals, which makes it all the more special for him to host Bettie James Fest there. Having just wrapped its second year, the singer says he hopes it’s a fixture throughout his career — and beyond.
“I’m looking forward to this being something I can pass down to my kids so they can keep it going, ‘cause there’s always gonna be talented artists,” he says. “There’s always gonna be artists to perform, so I’m hoping this festival goes on forever.”
The 2022 installment, which featured a headlining set from Jimmie and performances from acts like Lainey Wilson and Chayce Beckham, is named after his late grandmother Bettie and his late father, James “Big Jim” Allen. Ahead of the festival, Jimmie said he was planning another special, family-focused surprise.
“Me and my sister haven’t sung together since we were 13 in church and me and my sister are going to sing together,” he detailed.
The Bettie James Fest also served as the grand finale of Jimmie’s Down Home Tour. Later on this fall, he’ll join Carrie Underwood’s Denim & Rhinestones Tour.
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