WVU Football to Hold Concert to Wrap Up Gold-Blue Spring Festival

Headlining the Gold-Blue Spring Festival, for the first time ever, will be a free postgame concert for WVU football fans on Mountaineer Field featuring Jake Owen. Admission is free to the public. The concert will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on April 18th following the conclusion of the game at approximately 1:30 p.m.

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez let the cat out of the bag about the label change and the date during his first press conference of the spring on Tuesday, March 3.

He also said that the plan is for a scrimmage to be played, kinda like what was done last year, but to heavily lean on making it a fan-friendly atmosphere. West Virginia hopes to make the annual spring event something fans can look forward to, even if it can’t be exactly like how it was in the past.

Of course, Rodriguez may even be more willing to show more in the scrimmage part of the day since, unlike like last year, since there’s no spring transfer portal window for him to be concerned about. His roster will be what it is for the most part at that point.

For more information about Jake Own: 

Jake Owen is a country music superstar whose career includes a collection of gold and platinum records, 10 No. 1 singles and more than 2.5 billion U.S. on-demand streams. The ACM Award winner is signatured by his laid-back style and chart-topping hits including “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Beachin’,” “Anywhere With You,” “Alone With You” and “The One That Got Away.”

The recording artist, headlining entertainer and actor has released 10 studio albums, including his most recent, the critically acclaimed DREAMS TO DREAM album (co-produced alongside Shooter Jennings).  Owen has headlined tours around the world. In February 2026, he launched his “Dreams To Dream” tour; the 12-date tour canvasses Washington D.C., York, Pennsylvania, St. Paul, Minnesota and Des Moines, Iowa.

Beyond the stage, Owen is a music business executive, philanthropist and father of two, serving as a partner in Nashville-based Good Company Entertainment and founder of The Jake Owen Foundation, a charity organization that provides financial support to children suffering with life-threatening and catastrophic childhood diseases, as well as youth organizations in his hometown of Vero Beach, Florida.

The Almost Heaven Village fan experience zone will be moving to a new location starting at the 2026 Gold-Blue Spring Festival. Almost Heaven Village will now be located on the north lawn outside of the north gate of Milan Puskar Stadium. The fan experience area offers fans the opportunity to enjoy food trucks, inflatables, a DJ, yard games, photo opportunities, caricature and balloon artistry and face painting, along with appearances from the WVU Spirit Squads. Almost Heaven Village will be open two and a half hours prior to kickoff (9:30 a.m.) and will close 30 minutes prior to kickoff (11:30 a.m.).

Part of this story originated as part of WVU’s press release. 

Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.