What to Expect at Country Splash: A Conversation with Co-Founder Robert Fried

The announcement of Country Splash, the first-ever multi-day country music festival on the beach in Cabo San Lucas, made waves with its star-studded lineup and luxury destination offerings.

With anticipation continuing to build, excitement is reaching a new level for Country Splash as hotel and villa packages, along with festival Splash Passes, are officially on sale now. As fans begin locking in their plans, many are starting to wonder exactly what’s in store for the upcoming experience.

We caught up with co-founder Robert Fried, who offered insight into the vision behind the festival and what attendees can look forward to over Labor Day weekend in Cabo.

From Global Travel to Music Festival Vision

Before launching Country Splash, Fried built his career in the travel space, running an international company that brings more than 100,000 students to the U.S. each year. He later expanded into the domestic college market, creating spring and fall break trips to destinations like Cabo, Punta Cana, and Miami, where he began incorporating live music and large-scale DJ performances into the experience.

For Country Splash, he’s teamed up with partners involved in producing large-scale music festivals across the U.S. and Mexico, combining their expertise to deliver a one-of-a-kind music and travel experience.

The Moment Country Splash Was Born

Fried’s love for country music began at the first-ever Stagecoach Festival in 2007, where he was immediately drawn to the people attending.

“We went to the RV campgrounds and everyone was so nice and welcoming, throwing you a beer, come hang out, that the people attracted me to it. And then going in and seeing the festival, I then fell in love with country music.”

It was in that moment that Fried began envisioning what would eventually become Country Splash.

“We were in an inflatable pool that you filled up with the water tanks on the RV campground, listening to country music playlists and saying, ‘What could be better than country music and water with friends and a drink in your hand?’ And so it kind of really started there,” he explained.

Fried says the vision is to attract both longtime country fans and newcomers, creating an experience where people can connect with the music while also embracing the destination and elevated guest experience.

After more than a decade in the making, Country Splash will finally come to life September 4-6, led by headliners Riley Green, Jon Pardi, Tucker Wetmore, and Diplo, with additional performances from Cameron Whitcomb, Dasha, LOCASH, Zach John King, Blake Whiten, Lauren Watkins, Jacob Hackworth, Vavo, Dee Jay Silver, and ADHD. More artists are expected to be announced.

Why Cabo? A World-Class Destination

So why Cabo? Fried says it’s simple.

“Cabo itself is just such a top tier beach destination. I grew up going to Hawaii with my family every summer, and now I love going to Cabo. [I’m] not diminishing Hawaii in any way, because Hawaii is amazing and I still go back, but Cabo is an easier flight. And the level of service in Cabo is quite frankly unparalleled. It’s equal to any place I’ve ever been anywhere in the world. The people are amazing. The level of service and hospitality is amazing. And over the last 10 years, really, the destination has been developed so much that you have Michelin star restaurants, you’ve got every top tier hotel brand. The training and concierge level service of the people and the staff down there makes it a destination that people want to travel to, and it’s only growing…So what could be better than a world-class destination like Cabo with a high level of service that I was looking for mixed with country music on the beach?”

Filling a Gap in West Coast Country Festivals

Fried says Country Splash is designed to fill a major gap in the market, offering a beachside country music experience on the West Coast where few, if any, similar festivals exist. He also noted that events like Tortuga, Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, and Alan Jackson’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Fest have primarily catered to fans on the East Coast.

“But if you look at it from Texas west, there really aren’t many, if any, destinations to be able to do country music on a beach…Cabo really is the premium destination for beachfront service in Mexico. And so given that we were already doing events down in Cabo, it seemed like the right destination.”

A True VIP Experience

Country Splash promises a high-end experience where every fan is treated like a VIP, and for some, that begins the moment they board a flight to Cabo. The festival is offering a limited number of exclusive one-way flights departing from San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas. For those traveling separately, the VIP experience begins as soon as they land.

“I think part of the excitement starts when you get to the airport. You leave your house and you’re excited, you get to the airport. And if you’re meeting other people from the very beginning, that excitement just elevates…And then for people who don’t purchase those exclusive flights, from the second you land in Cabo and walk out the doors at the airport, you’re going to have our greeters and our social ambassadors meet you, giving you drinks, getting you on your transportation, and really starting that experience off on the right foot.”

Social Ambassadors and Elevated Guest Service

Upon arrival, attendees will be greeted by the festival’s Social Ambassadors, who will help bring the experience to life all weekend long. Fried shared that his background in travel inspired this next-level guest experience.

“In travel, you’d call them tour guides, but for us, we call them social ambassadors,” he said.

These Social Ambassadors will essentially deliver a high-end concierge service, and according to Fried, they won’t just be stationed at a help desk.

“You will have people greeting you that are amping up the experience and making sure that you have fun, people that when you’re looking for someone to take a picture for you and your group that they’re there, someone that you can ask questions to about anything, and they’re not going to be at a desk. They’re going to be amongst you. They’re going to be walking around, you’re going to know their names.”

A Fully Curated Festival Experience

Throughout the festival, attendees will experience elevated touches like cold towels upon arrival and popsicles or ice cream at pool parties, creating a fully curated music vacation from start to finish.

“One of our slogans is no fields, no fences, no distance stages. And we really want to make sure that everyone who comes feels like they’re up close and personal in an intimate environment where they’re not watching their favorite performer from a screen half a mile away. They’re watching it up close and personal and they’re really getting the full experience of their favorite country artists.”

A Blend of Country and EDM

The lineup blends country superstars, rising talent, and YeeDM acts (a fusion of country and electronic dance music) and that balance was intentional. Fried designed the festival to offer more than just traditional performances, with programming that spans the entire day, including morning artist-led wellness sessions, daytime pool parties, sunset acoustic sets, and main stage shows on the beach each night.

“I think there’s a new age of country music fan that’s coming into the genre. And that’s one thing that I think the lineup and the pool party and the YeeDM DJs address. We wanted to, of course, make sure that we’re catering to the traditional country fan. And you got that with our main stage lineup and performers,” he said. “But also there’s a whole generation that was raised on EDM and loving dance music…And that’s someone that we absolutely want to speak to and attract to this event.”

More Than a Festival

Beyond the music, Fried says the vacation element is a huge draw, from elevated dining experiences to golf excursions, deep sea fishing, yacht rentals, and more, all contributing to what he describes as a “full vacation experience.”

“It’s a beachfront destination. Going down to the beach and relaxing on the sand is something that I think is undervalued in just having a destination that you can enjoy yourself at, relax, and also have a fun party experience,” he shared, adding, “I think all of it is equal parts, country music, destination, and the guest experience.”

How To Book Packages

Guests now have the opportunity to book hotel and villa packages, along with a limited number of individual Splash Passes.

Fried acknowledged that while the festival leans into a “luxury” experience, the goal is to deliver real value. He explained that once fans see everything included, from hotel stays and transportation to concierge service and a premium open bar, they’ll realize the overall cost is comparable, if not more affordable, than piecing together a similar trip on their own.

“I somewhat struggled with how we used the word luxury because luxury typically implies high priced,” he said. “And I think that once people understand all that is included with the packages, they’re actually going to say, ‘Wow, this is an amazing price.’ And so that’s part of the challenge for us is making sure we educate and communicate our guests as to everything that’s included in these packages from the hotel stay, the concierge service, social ambassadors, round trip transportation.”

He continued, “Other places may include well alcohol for an all inclusive, we’re going to have a premium open bar. And so to make sure, again, to elevate those higher end touch points so that you’re coming to a high end destination, you’re experiencing high end elevated world-class country music. And so the alcohol and the food experiences are also at that top tier as well. And so I think that people will be surprised when they break it down at the affordability of the packages, even though the sticker price might look high, when you start adding things up and you say, ‘Wait a second, all I have to do is buy the flight and pretty much everything else is included? I would’ve ended up spending way more than that if I went to another festival.’”

The Long-Term Vision

At the end of the day, Fried’s main goal is to deliver a top-notch guest experience that combines country music and the beach, and keeps fans coming back year after year.

“If you got country music, you got a drink in your hand, you’re with your friends and you got water, anything else on top of that is an amazing experience,” he said.

“We want to make sure that everyone wants to come back to Cabo every Labor Day weekend and have this amazing experience.”

Learn More

For additional details on Country Splash and to book now, click HERE.