Fairhope Music Festival kicks off

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FAIRHOPE – Three days of music, food, crafts and family fun kick off today with the start of the first Fairhope Music Festival..

The festival will feature a variety of bands in two venues, said John Cochrane, one of the event organizers.

“We have 12 bands coming and playing in Fairhope over the weekend from New Orleans and Nashville and all over the country,” Cochrane said. “It’s taking place at two venues. Friday night, there’s Live at Five concert series at the Halstead Amphitheater in downtown Fairhope at Coastal Alabama Community College, I've got a great funk New Orleans band named Flow Tribe. And then, after that, the headlining Friday night I've got legendary musician and guitar player, songwriter out of New Orleans, Anders Osborne. One of the best. I’m a huge fan of his personally and I'm a musician.”

Music will continue Saturday and Sunday at Weeks Bay Plantation, an 80-acre organic farm south of Fairhope.

Saturday bands include the Will Kimbrough Band, J.D. Simo, Cha Wa and The Soul Rebels. Grammy-winning New Orleans musicians George Porter, Jr. and the Running Pardners close out the main stage on Saturday. Sunday acts include Red & the Revelers, Telluride and hometown performers The Red Clay Strays.

Part of the proceeds from the festival will help pay for renovations to the Fairhope American Legion Post 199, which was damaged by Hurricane Sally in 2020, Cochrane said.

“It’s a benefit for the American Legion Post in Fairhope,” Cochrane said. “For me, as a musician, that’s a great venue in Fairhope and they’re definitely good people down at the Legion. We thought it was a worthy cause. They're trying to rebuild to get their building up to code, so the whole festival is a benefit for the American Legion.

Additional entertainment throughout the weekend will include activities for children and Halloween-themed events.

“We want to create an experience that people will talk about for years to come,” says festival board member Jill Stanley. The festival’s motto is “Restoring Our Southern Souls.”

The festival will also feature 30 organic vendors and crafts from local artisans.. The Truck Stop will feature a selection of local food trucks offering a variety of selections.

Weeks Bay Plantation will offer camping for the music fest. Tent spaces, boondock pull-behind spots and full RV sites are available. Power is not provided, but there will be bath facilities, campground activities, and a campground host, according to a festival statement.

Camping fees range from $97 to $197 per night.

Tickets for the Friday Oct. 29 Live at Five Fairhope concert are $25 and can be purchased online through EventBrite or at liveatfivefairhope.com.

Tickets to the Saturday and Sunday happenings at Weeks Bay Plantation are on sale through EventBrite for $45 for both days. Tickets at the gate will cost $60. Organizers said they are selling only 2,000 tickets to allow guests to maintain social distancing.