Over the weekend, I attended one of the release parties for the Heated Rivalry soundtrack. The events were organized by Record Store Day and put on at local record shops around the country. I was lucky to have Culture Clash records in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, hosting one of the events, and as a devoted member of the Heated Rivalry cult, I knew I had to attend.
Over 200 indie record stores around the country hosted “Gone to the Cottage” release parties where patrons could buy both CD and vinyl versions of the soundtrack and spend the evening listening to music from the show, sipping on drinks, and mingling with other fans.
The event had a great turnout and was loaded with things to do
Like anyone going to one of these events, my first thought (or dread) was, “What if I’m the only one who goes?”
Luckily, I was greeted by a large group of other Hollanov stans who were there to celebrate our shared love of Heated Rivalry.
Culture Clash also had lots to do. There was a Heated Rivalry bingo game followed by trivia, where questions ranged from super easy, like “What city is Hollander’s hometown?” to more intense questions for diehard fans, like “How many minutes is episode 6?” (The answer is 51 minutes and 44 seconds.)
One of the coolest things about Culture Clash is that they’re connected to a bar next door called The Switchboard, and there’s a giant opening in the wall between the two buildings so you can easily explore both.
The Switchboard got involved in the fun and crafted two exclusive cocktails for the event: The Metros-inspired Number 24, which had blue curacao and cream of coconut, and the Raiders-themed Number 81, which mixed Coca-Cola with vanilla and, of course, vodka. I’m team Rozanov all the way…but I’m a sucker for a blue drink, so I went with the Number 24, and honestly, it was pretty damn good.
There were also tons of exclusive goodies for attendees
Lots of goodies were also handed out during the event. Culture Clash made exclusive stickers putting their logo on a Canada Dry can, and the Record Store Day organization provided posters commemorating the soundtrack release.
Other goodies included a bumper sticker and even totes for the first 50 people who arrived. I sadly was not in that group, so instead I longingly envied one of those totes all night long.
The event also included the fandom, which I thought was awesome. A few local vendors were there selling their own merch inspired by the show, and everyone who arrived got raffle tickets for four fan-made portraits that were raffled off at the end of the night.
One of my favorite moments of the entire evening happened right after I walked in the door. A woman approached me and opened her hand to reveal a bunch of Heated Rivalry pins. I excitedly looked through them and told her she did a great job, thinking she was just showing off her cool crafts.
Then she said, “Go ahead, take one, I love handing them out!” I thought that was so cool, to be around someone who loved the show so much that she enjoyed creating things and then freely handed them out to inspire fellow fans. Maybe I’m overly sentimental, but it’s small moments like those that always stick with me.
Of course, the soundtrack was the real highlight
Making new friends and enjoying the fandom were excellent, but of course, the main highlight was walking home with the soundtrack. They had CD and vinyl versions available, and as a dutiful journalist who will do whatever I must for the story, I bought both.
Again, totally not for me. I did this for the article. How could I properly write about the soundtrack release without getting both versions? (That’s what I tell myself, at least).
Both are absolutely epic and loaded with artwork, shirtless hunks, and notes from creator Jacob Tierney. Better yet, they bring back so many memories.
The soundtrack is amazing thanks to songs like “Mangetout” by Wet Leg and “Bad Things” by Cailin Russo. But it also carries such emotional weight. I guarantee you that the second “I’ll Believe in Anything” starts playing, every Heated Rivalry fan can tell you exactly where they were during the iconic kiss scene.
I don’t geek out and go full-blown fanboy very often, but Heated Rivalry is one of the shows that’s got me. I have joined the cult, and I’m completely ok with that.
In December 2025, I went to the cottage and never came back. And events like these, where fans can come together and share our joy, prove exactly why there’s no need to.
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