New beginning

• A new bluegrass festival offers fans an opportunity to see some of the region’s top talent.

Carlton Fletcher

UNADILLA — For three days a large portion of this tiny community off Interstate-75 will change its name to Angel City and become host to one of the best bluegrass lineups to grace a Georgia stage this year.

IIIrd Time Out, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Larry Cordle & Booie Beach and the Randy Kohrs Band are among the performers who will take part in the first Angel City Bluegrass Festival here running Thursday-Saturday.

How well fans support the fledgling event will determine whether Angel City becomes a regular part of the bluegrass festival circuit.

“Times are hard, and Georgia is losing festivals left and right,” Angel City promoter Veniece Kennedy said. “Fuel prices, electric bills and the rising cost of bringing in top talent are just too much when the fans don’t support the shows.”

Kennedy knows what she’s talking about. Her family planned and hosted the Riverbend Bluegrass Festival in Irwin County for 22 years before abruptly pulling the plug on the event earlier this year.

“There certainly is a void in this area (with the demise of the Riverbend festival),” Kennedy said. “This is an opportunity for fans to prove they will support the music they love. If they turn out (for the Angel City festival), the owner (Wayne Smith) plans to have two shows a year on the dates that we used to have the Riverbend festival.”

Fans will find a unique setting at the two-year-old Angel City site, located just off I-75’s Exit 122. Built to resemble an Old West city, festival grounds include spaces for 54 indoor vendors, two saloons and two restaurants. Fifty-amp hookups for RVs and shaded rough camping sites are available, and a new 7,000-square-foot covered pavilion fronts the stage.

Golf carts will be allowed on the festival grounds, and extras brought in for the three-day event include inflatables and pony rides for children and misters for those looking to cool down.

“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to keep promoting and stay with the bluegrass family,” Kennedy said. “If fans want to keep bluegrass music alive and well in Georgia, they’ll find a way to support this festival.”

Weekend tickets are $35, while single-day tickets are $20 a day. RV hookups are available for $20 a day. Wristbands will be distributed to keep fans under 21 from entering the saloons.

Other acts performing over the three days of the Angel City event include Tyme Out, Carrie Hassler-Young & Hard Rain, Francis Mooney and Fontana Sunset and the High-Back Rockers.

Information is available by calling the Angel City site at (800) 433-7191. Also, fans may visit the www.angelcityrally.com or myspace.com/angelcityusa Web sites for additional information or to watch band videos.

Early arriving fans can grab the best RV sites starting today.