The Big Hoopla, Hometown Heroes, and Local Sponsors Celebrate Military Members at Special Concert
Country-rock star Brantley Gilbert is set to headline the annual Military Appreciation Night, an incredible night of music and celebration to honor the Dayton region’s local service members and military community, at The Rose Music Center in Huber Heights on October 1, 2026.
“From service members at Wright-Patt and the Springfield Air National Guard Base to the countless veterans and military families that call the Miami Valley home, Dayton has a deep and proud connection to the US Armed Forces,” said Terry Slaybaugh, The Big Hoopla Volunteer Chair. “To have this special night and concert for them is the least we can do to show our thanks.”
Since 2016, The Big Hoopla and Hometown Heroes program have partnered together to host thousands of local service members at concert venues throughout the Miami Valley for Military Appreciation Night. The fun- and music-filled night was created to honor and celebrate their service to our country with some of the biggest names in music.
“Service members at Wright-Patt and local military families are a vital part of our community, so we’re ecstatic to support Military Appreciation Night,” said Huber Heights City Mayor Jeff Gore. “We’re proud to have a terrific venue like The Rose Music Center in our backyard to host this celebration and show our gratitude for the sacrifices our Hometown Heroes make.”
The concert is made possible through the generous support of local sponsors and community partners, including Montgomery County, the City of Huber Heights, Wright State University, Dayton Development Coalition, Wright-Patt Credit Union, Apogee, Life Connection, the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium, and others that are interested in supporting.
As part of the celebration, up to 1,000 tickets will be donated to Wright-Patt military personnel and their families. Tickets will also be donated to personnel at the Springfield Air National Guard Base and local veterans.
“The Miami Valley consistently shows what it means to support our Airmen, and this upcoming concert is another shining example,” said Colonel Jason K. Okumura, 88 Air Base Wing Commander, Wright Patterson Air Force Base. “On behalf of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, thank you to The Big Hoopla, the Dayton Development Coalition, and the Rose Music Center for hosting us. We look forward to an unforgettable evening with Brantley Gilbert celebrating our Hometown Heroes.”
Multi-Platinum superstar Brantley Gilbert, a godfather of country’s modern rock-and-rap edge, is an electrifying entertainer, who has racked up more than 8.3 billion career streams, back-to-back Platinum-selling albums, and seven chart-topping #1s, including the RIAA 7x Platinum “Bottoms Up,” 2x Platinum “Country Must Be Country Wide,” 2x Platinum “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” 2x Platinum “One Hell of An Amen,” and the Platinum-certified “What Happens In A Small Town.” The Georgia native also wrote Jason Aldean’s massive #1 smashes “Dirt Road Anthem” and “My Kinda Party.”
An era-defining artist, as well as ACM, CMA, and AMA award-winner, Gilbert has been carving his legacy since 2009—fusing unshakable grit with blue-collar values and humble faith that’s helped define the genre. Possessing a can’t-fake-it quality of fierce independence, Gilbert has toured alongside everyone from Willie Nelson and Toby Keith to Kenny Chesney, Nickelback, and more.
For more information about Gilbert, visit www.brantleygilbert.com, and follow him on Facebook and YouTube @BrantleyGilbertMusic and Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Twitter/X @BrantleyGilbert.
A limited number of tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 17th at 10am at rosemusiccenter.com. For additional concert information, visit rosemusiccenter.com.
