Pensacola Beach goes country for BonfireJam

Thousands are expected to put their “toes in the water, fanny in the sand” on Saturday as BonfireJam brings a full day of country music to Pensacola Beach’s Casino Beach.

Presented by the Joe Lewis Company, which has presented a successful winter BonfireJam in Chumuckla for the past two years (a third is planned this December), the first beach Bonfire Jam has attracted a stellar lineup topped by country superstar Ronnie Dunn, formerly of Brooks & Dunn, who will play a mix of his new solo material and Brooks & Dunn classics.

You can learn more about Dunn with our interview elsewhere on this page. Also slated to appear are:

• Craig Morgan, whose long country career includes such hits as “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” “Redneck Yacht Club” and — appropriately enough — “Bonfire.” His current hit on the charts is the title track from his latest album, “This Ole Boy.”

• Josh Thompson, whose 2010 debut album, “Way Out Here,” was a smash success, launching three hit singles — “Beer on the Table,” “Way Out Here” and “Won’t Be Lonely Long.” His follow-up, “Change,” will be released soon, and debut single “Comin’ Around” is already burning up the charts.

• Brett Eldredge, a newcomer who has already scored two hits — “Raymond” and “It Ain’t Gotta Be Love” — from his forthcoming debut album, “One Way Ticket.”

• Sunny Sweeney, who broke through on the country charts with her sophomore album, “Concrete,” and the hits “From a Table Away,” “Staying’s Worse Than Leaving” and “Drink Myself Single.”

In addition to the main, ticketed festival lineup, Thompson will perform a free concert at noon on the Portofino Boardwalk, and Pensacola Beach bars and nightclubs are competing for an additional intimate, acoustic concert from a surprise Bonfire Jam artist.