Travis Tritt Plays a Field on Wright Road in Three Weeks. The Money Buys Boots for Deployed Troops.

In 2015 a sailor named Jimmy Rogers was on a ship, deployed, in his last year in the Navy. He had an idea for a charity and did not want to wait until he got home to start it. So he built it by email, with his wife Lindsey handling the paperwork stateside. The State of Texas issued the certificate of formation on June 3, 2015.

The idea was a care package with a twist. Every box Boots For Troops sends to a deployed service member includes a new pair of boots, and the service member picks them. Rogers liked cowboy boots. He figured the people paying for everyone else's freedom might, too.

The first year raised more than $100,000, by the group's account. Eleven years on, its fall fundraiser is two nights of country music on a farm west of Magnolia.

Who plays, and when

The 11th Concert in the Country runs Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17 at Show Sports Farm, 32931 Wright Road, Magnolia 77355. The organizers have posted the full schedule:

Friday. Gates at 5:30 p.m. Bubba Westly, 6:30 to 7:15. Walker Montgomery, 7:30 to 8:30. Aaron Watson closes, 9 to 10:30.

Saturday. Gates at 4 p.m. The Steve Helms and Ben McPherson Duo, 4:30 to 5:15. Scooter Brown, 5:30 to 6:45. Josh Ward, 7:15 to 8:30. Travis Tritt, 9 to 11.

The 8th annual Boots For Troops barbecue cook-off runs both days on the same grounds, with pitmasters competing and the proceeds going the same place.

Before you drive out

The organizers' own answers, condensed:

• All ages. Children 12 and under need a $10 ticket.
• Parking on site is $10. No RVs or trailers.
• No re-entry. Once you are in, you are in.
• Shade only in the VIP area, and no umbrellas or tents. In mid-October that can still matter at 4 in the afternoon.
• Everyone and every bag is searched at the gate.
• Food trucks on site. Water is sold at the bars. Cash and cards both work.
• Gate tickets are sold if the event has not sold out first. VIP is advance only.
• There is a rideshare drop-off and pickup area. A car left overnight has to be picked up by noon the next day.
• The grounds are wheelchair accessible, with ADA restrooms.

Adult ticket prices and VIP packages are on the ticket page linked from concertinthecountry.org.

Where the money goes

Boots For Troops says its mission is the morale and well-being of active duty service members, veterans and military spouses. In practice that is several programs, and the group posts running counts on its home page. As of this week, for 2026: 126 care packages sent, 362 troops brought home, 215 heroes honored.

The "brought home" number is the Travel Assistance Program. It books flights, paid in full, for junior enlisted service members in pay grades E-1 through E-5 who have not been home in two years or who need to get home in an emergency. The group does not reimburse; it buys the ticket, or gas cards for someone driving. The program page says it is closed to new requests right now.

There is also the Jimmy Rogers Military Spouse Scholarship, which helps the husband or wife of an active duty service member pay for school. Applications for 2026 are closed and the group says to check back for 2027.

Families with someone deployed can request a package for them at boots4troops.org. Anyone who would rather pack boxes than buy a ticket can sign up there to volunteer or host a package drive.

Three weeks from tonight Aaron Watson takes the stage on Wright Road. The next night it is Travis Tritt, and the last song ends at 11.