HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — An estimated 25,000 attendees will descend on john hunt park starting Saturday and many businesses are looking at the positive side. " I think it's a positive overall," Andy Whitehead with Fig Brew shares. "There was a pre festival meeting down at that 40 Brewery where we met with the organizers, and they were pretty candid about laying out what their expectations are."
Huntsville is bringing back a long-awaited music festival to the area and many local businesses are on board with all the weekend brings. "I happen to think live music is incredibly important and it unites people from all walks of life across the community," Melanie Hamer Murray of Bullet and Barrel shares. "You know, we've been hearing for years that Huntsville needed more things for younger people to do. and so this is one of the ways that I think our city is answering that request."
That request brings an influx of traffic which will make the weekend challenging for some business owners. "We have weather days all the time where everything closes down you know, people aren't coming in," Murray shares. "So, we have to accommodate all that and you factor that into your business plan every day can't be your best day ever."
Businesses like Fig Brew and Bullets and Barrel are using an alternative approach to make some money from the weekend and that's with parking which will be in high demand. "So, we have a security system set up on our building and a fairly large parking flat with maybe anywhere from 20 to 23 parking spaces," Whitehead shares. "So, we are going to be renting those out for people who want to park and walk across the street to the festival as well."
Murray shares that income will serve a special purpose. "The thing that I'm excited about with the parking is because I am having to close early that means I have hourly employees that are not going to be able to get their regular income for those two days," Murray explains. "So, I've turned the parking over to them and they're making the majority of the money off of this."
When it comes to restaurant's, establishments like Drake's Huntsville are anticipating a rush of business. "We definitely try to be a little more overstaffed than we normally are on the weekends, especially when we're having these big events in town, just so that we know that we're prepared for the volume that we might see." Bar manager Olivia Sullivan shares. "We love seeing our regulars and all the normal visitors that we have with us but were definitely excited to see some new faces in town."
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With the South Star Festival at John Hunt Park just days away, the Huntsville Police Department (HPD) is asking drivers to avoid the area unless they are attending the event.
Jaycee Way and part of Steve Hettinger Drive will be closed through Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. to accommodate festival traffic and post-event breakdown. Additionally, one lane of Leeman Ferry Road will be closed to provide a pedestrian walkway from Drake Avenue to Island Circle, but two-way traffic will be maintained through that intersection.
Drivers should anticipate congestion on Memorial Parkway and the access roads, especially around Joe Davis Stadium, Airport Road, and Leeman Ferry Road.
“We are asking drivers to use caution and watch for pedestrians in the area,” HPD Chief Kirk Giles said. “We also encourage drivers to find a designated driver, use ride-share services or take public transit if they plan to consume alcohol at the event.”
To prevent overwhelming 911 dispatchers, HPD asks people to call the non-emergency number, 256-722-7100, unless it’s a genuine emergency.
Festivities will kick off on Saturday, September 28, at 1:30 p.m. with Winona Fighter taking the stage first. The first day will conclude with a performance by Gwen Stefani at 11 p.m.
Sunday's lineup also begins at 1:30 p.m., featuring Billy Allen and The Pollies, with the event wrapping up with a performance by Blink-182 at 11 p.m.