Boots & Hearts Festival 2025 – Day Four Recap & Photos

By the time Sunday rolled around at Boots & Hearts 2025, the sunburns were deep and the cowboy boots had taken a beating, but you wouldn’t know it from the crowd. If anything, the final day at Burl’s Creek felt like one big rally. With ten acts across two stages, the day stretched from rising talent to stadium-level headliners, and it ended in a way only Boots knows how: loud and unforgettable.

The afternoon kicked off with Jessie T on the Front Porch Stage, who mixed her country roots with a pop-rock punch that fit right in with the weekend’s genre-bending mood. Fresh off a string of award nominations and wins, she’s clearly on an upward swing.

Lakeview then jolted the Main Stage awake with a set that leaned heavier than most on the bill. Their mix of rock grit and country storytelling drew a roar from the crowd. It was a welcome shake-up after days of more straight-ahead country sounds.

On the Front Porch stage, Andrew Hyatt gave one of the most memorable sets of the day, bouncing between full-throttle crowd pleasers and stripped-down ballads. His raw take on “Time After Time” held the audience in absolute silence, while his rollicking cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” sent them into pure chaos.

Meghan Patrick owned her main stage slot with a performance that was equal parts powerhouse and personal. She flexed her rock side with covers of Led Zeppelin and No Doubt, reminding everyone why she’s one of Canada’s sharpest country stars.

Default (Dallas Smith included) proved their reunion since 2018 was more than nostalgia. Their fiery side stage set included a blistering version of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” which pulled even the beer tent crowd back into the sun.

As the sun started to come down, the rock-leaning streak kept rolling. Daughtry tore through his hits before slowing things down for a heartfelt duet with his daughter on “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” easily one of the most emotional moments of the weekend.

Texas wild card Koe Wetzel kept the energy rough and rowdy, paving the way for Hardy’s headlining slot.

Then it was time for Hardy to close the festival. Playing to about 30,000 fans, his set was a heavy, unapologetic mash of country grit and rock ferocity. The crowd screamed every word to tracks like “Truck Bed.” He even treated the crowd to a surprise duet with Meghan Patrick on “Wait in the truck.” In true Hardy fashion and similar to Chase Rice the day before, he pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels, daring the crowd to finish it before the band stopped playing. They did.

By the time the last chord rang out, the festival grounds were buzzing, even as campers started packing up for Monday’s noon cutoff. Boots & Hearts 2025 will be remembered for its mix of country tradition and rock rebellion, but more than anything, for the gathering of people who love this music enough to stand shoulder to shoulder in the August heat until the very last note.

Stay tuned for our artist portraits!

Check out our favourite photos of the day below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

HARDY

KOE WETZEL

DAUGHTRY

DEFAULT

MEGHAN PATRICK

ANDREW HYATT

LAKEVIEW

JESSIE T

All Photo Credit: Kieran Delport