The skies over Cornelia threatened rain all day Saturday. By evening, it arrived during the eighties throwback concert in Cornelia.
First, a mist, then a downpour, the rain forced the city to call off the last hour-and-a-half of its Cornelia Music Fest. Some concertgoers were left disappointed when the headlining Journey tribute band, Departure, failed to make it to the stage.
“It was awesome, especially 1st Band, but really disappointed that we couldn’t see Journey after sitting in the Rain,” Tammy Edge posted to Facebook. “Hope there’s a rain check for them to come back.”
“Mad Hatters never disappoint!” added Melissa Ottaway.
Despite some mixed reviews on the Chicago tribute band, most who attended, and those who worked the event, said they were pleased with the free event.
“Got a little wet, but the concert was a success,” said Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts, whose officers were divided between concert duty and a desperate search earlier in the day for a missing elderly man.
Possible return for Departure?
Cornelia Main Street Manager Noah Hamil estimates between 1,200 and 1,500 people turned out for the six-hour marathon concert. Four tribute bands were booked – Cars (Carpool), Chicago (Chi-Town), Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Mad Hatters), and Journey (Departure).
As for bringing back the canceled Departure, Hamil says, “We’re going to figure out something, whether it’s next year or we have a small fall concert – if it’s in the budget, that is.”
This is the first Cornelia Music Fest Hamil has organized since being named Main Street Manager in December. Despite the downpour, he remains upbeat – and is even looking ahead to bigger things.
“The things that were in our control went great; the only part of the night that went wrong was the things out of our control,” says Hamil. “I would always like to add more! I think it would be awesome to turn it into almost an all-day event with more bands and events.”
Kick-off to summer
Cornelia Music Fest kicked off a summer of events in downtown Cornelia.
The city’s Summer Nights Festival begins Thursday, May 25. There will be live entertainment, arts and craft vendors, and kids’ activities.
Guests are invited to bring their pets and sip-n-stroll through Cornelia’s entertainment district. Shops will stay open late on festival Thursdays, May 25, June 29, July 27, and August 31. For times and details, visit Catch Me In Cornelia on Facebook.
Also, Cornelia will open a monthly farmer’s market on the last Saturday in May. The market will be held in Appletree Alley downtown.
And go ahead and mark your calendars now. Cornelia’s signature event – the Big Red Apple Festival – is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 23.
