Late last year, Shellabration Inc. conducted an online survey to find out who local country music fans would like to see and hear at a future Downtown Country Jam.

About 600 people responded. Their No. 1 choice was Travis Tritt.

Those hundreds of music fans will see their hopes come true because Tritt will be the headliner for the 2026 version of the concert.

Jim Reed, president of Shellabration Inc., made the announcement Saturday evening during the Downtown Country Jam featuring Trace Adkins.

The concert will be held on Aug. 8, 2026, at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex.

Because of the change of venue, the concert will be called the Fort Dodge Country Jam or just the Country Jam.

Tritt burst onto the country music scene in 1989 with the Top 10 hit “Country Club.”

His other hits include “Help Me Hold On,” “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” “Love of a Woman,” “Best of Intentions” and “Strong Enough to be Your Man.”

He has performed duets with a wide variety of singers, including Marty Stuart, Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, John Mellencamp, David Lee Roth and Patti LaBelle.

Tritt has received a Grammy award, a Horizon Award and was named a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

“It’s going to be a hits-laden set,” Reed said of Tritt’s 2026 local concert.

Having next year’s headliner signed up before this year’s concert even started is a unique situation for Shellabration Inc.

“This is the earliest we ever got a deal done,” Reed said.

The concert is being relocated to the sports complex on the north side of town to accommodate the expected larger crowd.

Saturday’s Downtown Country Jam featuring Trace Adkins was a sellout of about 5,000 people. According to Reed, that is the most that can be accommodated at the intersection of Central Avenue and Ninth Street.

“We basically maxed out what we can do down there,” he said.

The sports complex, he said, offers a capacity of up to 10,000 people.

“We have loved being downtown,” Reed said. “The downtown community and the businesses have been so gracious to us.”

But he said there is no place downtown that can accommodate the growing crowds.

With Tritt signed up for 2026, Shellabration Inc. is looking for future Country Jam headliners. According to Reed, the possibilities include Jake Owen, Darius Rucker (Hootie of Hootie and the Blowfish fame), and the Brothers Osborne.

The group is also pursuing acts for the 2026 version of its namesake Shellabration classic rock concert.