New local music festival offers three days of music and fun
Chris Rutledge
Issue date: 10/12/09 Section: News
Local music festival Bonnaroo has created a lot of buzz since it's inception.
There was a sudden return to prominence for the music and arts scene in Tennessee and to this day it remains one of the most popular festivals worldwide.
One thing that seems to be changing about Bonnaroo every year is the feeling that it is a local music festival. As the acts get larger so do the crowds and the corporation, and pretty soon it's a whole different atmosphere.
For people unsatisfied with Bonnaroo's direction as of late, but short on the cash to travel out of state for a festival, Festively Local is an option.
With music in every genre, it's shaping up to be the little festival that could.
"We didn't really think it would be this big, but we kept saying 'why not?" said Festival Director and Hillhouse Farms property owner Ron Heacock. "It has definitely grown in to much more than anybody imagined."
Hillhouse Farms, located in Pulaski, TN, is a writer and artist retreat.
"Hillhouse writers is an organization. We decided to expand its scope," said Heacock.
"We decided rather than to just have writers retreats we also wanted to include events and workshops."
According to Heacock, the actual idea for a music festival was "a group effort."
"I wanted to get a marketing manager, to sort of expand these ideas," continued Heacock.
It was at that point that Heacock was introduced to SGA President Dusty Good, who joined Heacock is putting together Festively Local.
"Dusty is a booking manager," said Heacock "He pretty much went out and found all of our larger sized acts. I would also call him the main stage coordinator."
"The theme is local; local in food, local in talent, locally organized, focus on local sustainable practices, local community," said Heacock. "One of the reasons we're providing meals and meal tickets is so we could purchase the food from local farmers. We are having a farmers market here."
Meal tickets are available to be purchased in advance or per meal. The price is $5.50 per meal and 27.50 in advance for an entire weekends worth of meals.
There was a sudden return to prominence for the music and arts scene in Tennessee and to this day it remains one of the most popular festivals worldwide.
One thing that seems to be changing about Bonnaroo every year is the feeling that it is a local music festival. As the acts get larger so do the crowds and the corporation, and pretty soon it's a whole different atmosphere.
For people unsatisfied with Bonnaroo's direction as of late, but short on the cash to travel out of state for a festival, Festively Local is an option.
With music in every genre, it's shaping up to be the little festival that could.
"We didn't really think it would be this big, but we kept saying 'why not?" said Festival Director and Hillhouse Farms property owner Ron Heacock. "It has definitely grown in to much more than anybody imagined."
Hillhouse Farms, located in Pulaski, TN, is a writer and artist retreat.
"Hillhouse writers is an organization. We decided to expand its scope," said Heacock.
"We decided rather than to just have writers retreats we also wanted to include events and workshops."
According to Heacock, the actual idea for a music festival was "a group effort."
"I wanted to get a marketing manager, to sort of expand these ideas," continued Heacock.
It was at that point that Heacock was introduced to SGA President Dusty Good, who joined Heacock is putting together Festively Local.
"Dusty is a booking manager," said Heacock "He pretty much went out and found all of our larger sized acts. I would also call him the main stage coordinator."
"The theme is local; local in food, local in talent, locally organized, focus on local sustainable practices, local community," said Heacock. "One of the reasons we're providing meals and meal tickets is so we could purchase the food from local farmers. We are having a farmers market here."
Meal tickets are available to be purchased in advance or per meal. The price is $5.50 per meal and 27.50 in advance for an entire weekends worth of meals.