Josh Turner will headline the third annual FRY Fest concert

Josh Turner will headline the third annual FRY Fest concert Sept. 2, organizers announced Friday. Iowa band 8 Seconds will open.

"We're very excited to have Josh join us. He will bring a fun, lively country flair to our wrestling theme for this year," said Laurie Haman, vice president of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "He's a perfect fit and will draw a great audience."

Tickets are on sale for $10. For ticket information, go to www.fryfest.com.

The Grammy-nominated Turner, named by "People" magazine as one of country's hottest stars, has back-to-back multi-week No. 1 radio singles and platinum and gold albums under his belt.

Turner's first single, "Why Don't We Just Dance," nabbed the top slot for four weeks, won the American Country Award for Single of the Year Male and was the most played song on country radio in 2010, according to Mediabase.

Other popular singles include "Firecracker" and "Long Black Train."

Turner also is one of the youngest members of the Grand Ole Opry and the youngest member inducted into Nashville's Walk of Fame.

Past headliners of FRY Fest concerts include the Charlie Daniels Band and Three Dog Night. Wildwood Smokehouse and Saloon's popular mechanical bull, Spanky, also will make an appearance at this year's show.

"We're going country this year," ICCCVB president Josh Schamberger hinted at the FRY Fest news conference April 21.

Organizers said this year's FRY Fest is shaping up to be even better than in past years.

"Our goal was to create an event celebrating all that is Hawkeye," Schamberger said. "Our fans agree that we've been able to do just that."

This year's event will honor 1972 Olympic gold medalist and former Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable -- "a country fan," Haman said. It also will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Scottish Highlanders and the 25th anniversary of the University of Iowa women's field hockey national championship.

Activities planned before the evening concert include a live production of "This is Your Life" with Gable, a Tailgate Row, a kids' zone and the return of the world's largest Hawkeye tradeshow.

All proceeds from the concert will go to Coralville's 4thFEST, where Gable will be the grand marshal for the annual Fourth of July parade.