Bon Jovi, Paisley plan free concerts

GULF SHORES, Alabama (WALA) - A big announcement was made Wednesday. More free concerts for the coast are booked, and they include big names. Bon Jovi and country music's Brad Paisley will play on the beach in Gulf Shores.

Prayers have been answered at the beach.

"On Friday night, October 15, we'll host a concert on the beach featuring none other than Bon Jovi," said Herb Malone. "We'll close out a great weekend with a concert by country music legend Brad Paisley."

The announcement came that the duel of concerts will coincide with the big Thunder on the Gulf powerboat races October 15-17.

"Knowing that Thunder on the Gulf was coming back, we felt like what a great opportunity to have some entertainment at night and so the dates matched and things worked out. We're just real excited," Malone said.

Thunder on the Gulf is making a comeback this year after being canceled last year due to economic hardships.

The concerts will be in the exact location of where the Jimmy Buffett concert was in Gulf Shores.

The shows will be free to the public, but you will need a ticket get into the concert.

"As of today tickets, are available through our hotels and condos. On September 11 we will make an allotment of tickets available for local residents distributed in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Foley," Malone said.

For a list of accommodations offering reservation packages with free tickets, click here .

Tickets will be available for local distribution on Saturday, September 11 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m at the following locations:

• Gulf Shores, Alabama - Erie Meyer Civic Center, 1930 West 2ndStreet

• Orange Beach, Alabama – Orange Beach Sportsplex, 4385 William Silvers Parkway

• Foley, Alabama – City Hall, 407 East Laurel Avenue

For more details, check out Concerts for the Coast .