Main Street Searcy and the Searcy A&P Commission are proud to announce Nashville performing artist Joe Nichols as the Get Down Downtown headliner on Saturday, September 27, at 8:00 p.m. in downtown Searcy.                                   

Nichols will take the First Security Bank Stage at 8:00 p.m.; opening act Annie Bosko will play at 6:30 p.m., following Saturday’s festival activities and a full day of live music, presented in part by White River Flooring & Home Finishes and Arkansas Radio. Admission is free.

With more than 2 billion audio streams to-date, three Grammy nominations, a CMA award, ACM and CMT Music Award trophies plus multiple gold and platinum-certified records, Nichols has released Number One hits such as “The Impossible,” “Gimmie That Girl” and “Brokenheartsville”.

It’s his steadfast commitment to country music that has made Nichols one of Nashville’s most honest and versatile voices, regarded for his warm and distinctly country tone by everyone from Dolly Parton to Post Malone — he’s sung with both. On his new album Honky Tonks and Country Songs, Nichols continues to connect country’s traditional past with its diverse mix of more than 11 radio-ready tracks. The album’s first offering, “Bottle It Up,” is an easygoing yet irresistible celebration of the country life, with Nichols singing about the simple joys of catching fireflies and kissing on a porch swing, wishing he could capture the feeling forever. He describes the song as “front-porch, rocking-chair country.”

Since arriving on the scene as a teenager, Nichols has had a knack for finding and singing just the right song for the right moment. He did it with his Number One hits “The Impossible,” “Gimmie That Girl” and “Brokenheartsville”, and with his back-to-back Number Ones “Sunny and 75” and “Yeah.”

On Honky Tonks and Country Songs, he finds that sweet spot with “People Still Doing That,” a song that speaks directly to listeners who might be feeling old school in a modern world. He delivers a heartfelt love song for the ages in “Doin’ Life With You,” a vow to one’s partner that you’ll be by their side through thick and thin — and wouldn’t want it any other way. Nichols sings the ballad through the lens of being a father and a husband. “Life can be hard, with its peaks and its valleys, but I love the person I'm doing it with,” he says. “That song will resonate with a lot of people.” He also collaborates with his opening act Annie Bosko on the album duet “Better Than You.” 

With a voice that resonates with her fans, singer-songwriter Annie Bosko is crafting songs that reflect her upbringing as a farmer’s daughter. With her latest release “California Cowgirl” from her forthcoming debut album, Bosko embraces her west coast roots that run deep in the heart of California’s agricultural country, providing a backdrop that continues to inspire her blend of signature ‘90s country music. Her self-titled EP saw the Golden State native making her late-night debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with a performance of “Neon Baby” – a track that also marked her first charting single at Country radio. Bosko followed her acclaimed EP with stunning collaborations featuring country icons including Vince Gill and Dwight Yoakam. Her current top 40 hit duet “Better Than You” with Joe Nichols hit the Country radio airwaves as a top five most-added song for five consecutive weeks.

Bosko broke out in 2014 with the SiriusXM/CMT hit “Crooked Halo,” which has amassed more than 3 million streams, earning her a title as an Artist to Watch from Rolling Stone Country. She went on to write songs recorded by Willie Nelson and Jessica Simpson, tour alongside Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Blake Shelton, sell out the famed

Troubadour and perform on the Grand Ole Opry and at Ryman Auditorium.

Main Street Searcy’s annual Get Down Downtown festival will feature both local and national touring bands, street performers, more than 125 vendors, concessions and activities for the entire family! The festival starts at 6:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, with live music and vendor activities until 9:30. Little Rock Winds, presented by Harding University, will take the First Security Bank Stage Friday at 8:00 p.m. Activities resume Saturday, Sept. 27, with the Funnel Cake 5K/Cotton Candy Classic, presented by Brian Maddox State Farm, at 8:00 a.m. Registration information for the chip time run can be found at runsignup.com. Vendor activities, live music, street performances and entertainment in the Unity Health Kid Zone will begin at 10:00 am. Saturday’s activities conclude after headliner Joe Nichols finishes his free 8:00 pm show on the Courthouse Square. 

For more information, including how to become a festival vendor, visit getdowndowntown.com or experiencesearcy.com.