Metro Spirit - 10.19.17

V28|NO42
North augusta gone country
Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee brings diversity in musical acts
EvEr hEard of North Augusta’s Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee festival? Well don’t feel
bad… it has sort of been a small-ish community festival for many years. But that is
changing with the city recognizing the potential of the annual event.
“Todd Glover, the city administrator, has amped up everything (about the Jubilee),
and he’s all for giving the city this free event, so forever and always it’ll be the last
weekend in October, it’ll always be on Georgia Avenue, and we always want to try
to keep it free,” she said. “We work all year trying to get sponsors so we can have a
free event for the city.”
The 33rd annual Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee, a free festival that closes off Georgia
Avenue from Clifton Avenue to Jackson Avenue at the end of October each year in
North Augusta, will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 and 28.
The event planners have really picked up the level and quality of the bands,
booking the Charlie Daniels Band (headlining Friday) and Robert Randolph and
the Family Band on Saturday. “Known for an adventurous jam-band sound, pedalsteel
magician Robert Randolph,” according to Rolling Stone, is a fresh and exciting
addition to the already packed lineup. The festival hours are from 5:30-10 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 27, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28.
Festival organizers are aiming to keep the Jubilee fresh by bringing in diverse
acts each year, said Tourism and Marketing Coordinator for North Augusta Mandy
Nelson. Last year, the theme was ’90s bands, and the Gin Blossoms headlined.
“It’s definitely a diversity thing going on,” Nelson said. “We did have some other
‘90s bands in mind (this year), but we decided to go with country mainly, and then
we picked Robert Randolph to kind of go with that, but next year we’ll probably go
back to ‘90s.”
Country singer/songwriter Cody Webb, who grew up about 40 miles away from
North Augusta in Ridge Spring, S.C., will be performing at the festival for a third
time. He’s excited to get back and play the festival and will be on stage at 7 p.m.
Friday, opening for the Charlie Daniels Band.
By Amanda Main
“We played it last year; me and Ray Fulcher played it,” Webb said. “So I’m definitely
excited to come back. We had a great time last year, and of course to do it with
Charlie Daniels is really neat. I know he’s getting up in age, and he’s definitely one of
my influences that I listened to growing up, so it’ll be really neat to get to do a show
with them.”
Other musical acts on the main stage include the St. Bart’s praise band, Fairview
Band, David Bell Band, Scarlet Begonias, Future Birds and No Sir.
More than 150 crafts and food vendors will be set up at the festival. Beer and wine
also will be available for people to enjoy.
20 METROSPIRIT AUGUSTA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1989 19OCTOBER2017