Mike Kuster

Mike Kuster and The Catoctin Cowboys returned to the Great Frederick Fair in Frederick, Maryland, on Monday, September 21, for another night of live country music and the Annual Truck & Tractor Pull.

For the fifth consecutive year, I had the opportunity to kick off the Truck & Tractor Pull with an hour of country music on the grandstand stage before the trucks and tractors took over.

For me, this isn’t just another show.

The Great Frederick Fair has been part of my life for a long time — long before I ever stood on its grandstand stage with a guitar.

From 4-H and FFA to the Great Frederick Fair Grandstand

Growing up in Frederick County, I spent plenty of time at the Great Frederick Fair as a 4-H and FFA member.

I showed animals at the fair. I entered projects in the 4-H building. Later, I returned to the fairgrounds professionally, running 4-H programs and shows as a 4-H agent.

Now I come back to the same fairgrounds as a country music singer-songwriter.

That’s a pretty cool full-circle moment.

My music is heavily influenced by the traditional country artists I grew up listening to — people like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard — and I still love bringing that traditional country sound to audiences around Maryland and beyond.

Getting to perform those songs, along with my own original country music, at a place that has been part of my life for decades makes the Great Frederick Fair one of those shows I look forward to every year.

Five Years Kicking Off the Truck & Tractor Pull

This year marked the fifth year of Mike Kuster and The Catoctin Cowboys performing before the Annual Truck & Tractor Pull at the Great Frederick Fair.

Our job is pretty simple: get the crowd warmed up with some country music before the big machines fire up.

We put together a set featuring original songs along with some of the country music that has influenced me throughout my life.

Then it was time to turn the stage over to the trucks and tractors.

There’s something pretty fitting about following up an hour of country music with the sound of engines, horsepower and a packed fairground.

Watch Mike Kuster Live at the Great Frederick Fair

I wanted to share a little piece of this year’s performance with everyone who couldn’t make it to the fair.

Watch the video from Mike Kuster and The Catoctin Cowboys’ 2026 Great Frederick Fair performance below.

One of my favorite things about playing live is being able to share these moments with people who weren’t able to be there in person.

A video doesn’t completely capture the experience of standing on that stage in front of a fairground crowd, but it gives you a taste of what we were doing that night.

A Hometown Show Means More

I’ve played shows all over the country, from Maryland to the Pacific Northwest, but there is something different about playing close to home.

Frederick County is where I grew up. It’s where my musical journey started. It’s where I’ve spent years working with people in the community, and it’s where I’ve built a lot of the relationships that have followed me throughout my life.

The Great Frederick Fair brings all of those things together.

I can remember being there as a kid with my 4-H and FFA projects. I can remember working at the fair running 4-H programs and shows.

And now I get to walk onto the grandstand stage with my guitar and play my own songs.

That’s a journey I don’t take for granted.

Thank You, Great Frederick Fair

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Great Frederick Fair Monday night and helped us kick off the Truck & Tractor Pull.

Thank you to everyone who stopped to talk, grabbed some merchandise, sang along, requested a song, or simply spent part of the evening listening to Mike Kuster and The Catoctin Cowboys.

And thank you to the Great Frederick Fair for bringing us back for a fifth year.

Five years of country music before the Truck & Tractor Pull.

From the 4-H building to the grandstand stage, it’s been quite a ride.

And I’m already looking forward to coming back.

Keep up with Mike Kuster’s upcoming shows and find out when the Catoctin Cowboys will be playing near you at MikeKuster.net.

— Mike Kuster