What you should know
› Parking: Festival organizers suggest parking on the downtown (south) side of the river and walking, biking, paddling or canoeing across to the Coolidge Park side. River Street, which leads into the park off Frazier Avenue, will be closed. There will be a bike valet in front of Outdoor Chattanooga inside the park.› Shopping and dining: All of the shops and restaurants in and around Coolidge Park will be open for business, including several with a mini-market or village set up in the parking lot. Many establishments, from the North Shore to the Southside, will be offering Moon River specials.› Bridges: The bridges over the river will remain open for through traffic, but you will not be able to set up chairs or linger in place during the festival.› More online: moonriverfestival.com
While some in the Chattanooga area might be wondering why the Moon River Music Festival founded in Memphis will now be staged in Coolidge Park of all places, Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau President Barry White has a different question.
The Avett Brothers close out the Moon River Music Festival at 9 p.m. Sunday. (Facebook.com photo)"Why not?"
The festival kicks off tonight with a VIP show at the Walker Theatre, and then the official event will take place on two stages inside the grassy area of Coolidge Park, a place that has never held such a ticketed event. Headlining are The Avett Brothers, The Head and the Heart, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, Judah & the Lion, Trampled by Turtles, Margo Price and Mavis Staples.
Tickets sold out within eight hours of going on sale back in March, but officials with the city and AC Entertainment, which is producing the show, have continued to work on making it a memorable occasion, adding a two-hour Gospel Brunch cruise on the Southern Belle; a Tennessee Tavern, serving up drinks from Tennessee distilleries and breweries; the REI Outdoor Experience, featuring rock climbing, kayaking and paddleboarding; and the Lookout Lodge Sports Bar inside the Outdoor Chattanooga building.
Legendary gospel/soul singer Mavis Staples performs Sunday at 3:30 p.m. (Facebook.com photo)It has even created a printable Festival Bucket List with things to see and do, such as "Grab an ice cream cone (or 3) from Clumpies Ice Cream Co." and "Catch a riverfront sunset."
It's all part of the curated experience that goes beyond the music, according to Jeff Cuellar, vice president of strategic partnerships with AC Entertainment.
"We want people to have an experience from the moment they leave home until they return," he says. "We want them to experience Chattanooga as well as the great music."
To that end, AC has been working with Chattanooga merchants inside Coolidge Park as well as shop owners on both sides of the river. Several Coolidge Park merchants are working together to create a mini-market or village in the parking lot, says Jonathan Susman, activation and engagement specialist for the city of Chattanooga, and several shops on both sides of the river will be offering discounts or specialty items related to the festival. Participating shops will have a sign in their windows, says Mary Howard Ade, music marketing manager with the CVB.
"This is such a cool event for the whole city, and people want to be involved," she says.
Country-roots duo The Secret Sisters will sing Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Moon River Music Festival. (Facebook.com photo)Essentially, the festival site will be gated from the sidewalks surrounding the grassy area of Coolidge Park on the North Shore. The park's permanent stage near the Market Street Bridge will be used as the main stage (called the Poplar Stage for the festival), and a temporary stage (the Iris Stage) has been constructed closer to the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
The entrance to the festival will be near the dead-end turnaround by the CTC. River Street will be closed to automobile traffic but open to pedestrians, with or without tickets, and all of the shops will be open as usual.
Festival organizers suggest parking on the downtown side of the river and walking, biking, paddling or canoeing across to the Coolidge Park side. There will be a bike valet in front of Outdoor Chattanooga.
While the bridges over the river will remain open for through traffic, you will not be able to set up chairs or linger in place during the festival.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.