Chamber to host Harmon Field Music Festival Saturday

TRYON — An afternoon of live music, street food and plenty of family-friendly fun is set to take place at Harmon Field this Saturday, as the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce will host the Harmon Field Music Festival.

The event will take place from noon to 8 p.m. at the park, located at 117 Harmon Field Road, Tryon. The festival will feature performances throughout the afternoon and evening from the following bands:

• Thunder Road

• Nobody’s Fault

• Dixie Dirt

• Jim Peterman Quartet

• Shane Pruitt Band

The performances will take place on a stage the chamber will build across the bridge at the park, in the former Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival competition area. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn blankets and chairs for the show.

In addition to the tunes, guests may enjoy some food from a number of vendors, who will serve up everything from Philly cheesesteak sandwiches to ice cream. The chamber will also have a volunteer grilling up hot dogs during the event.

The festival was originally scheduled to take place on May 19, though it was postponed due to the flooding and mudslides that devastated Harmon Field and the surrounding Pacolet Valley area the day before. This Saturday was the best date for the second attempt, as the chamber could reassemble both the performers and food vendors scheduled for the spring date, said chamber administrator Christina Feagan.

This Saturday will mark the third rendition of the Harmon Field Music Festival, and will be the first headed up by the chamber, Feagan said. The event’s founder, Dennis Nagle, approached the chamber several years ago to ask if the group would be interested in taking the reins, Feagan said.

“We jumped at the opportunity,” she said. “We think this will be a good thing, something we can make into an annual event. That is what we are hoping for.”

A committee of five individuals are organizing this year’s event, who will be assisted by more than 20 volunteers, who will help with set up and take down of the stage, and with other duties throughout the evening, Feagan said.

The chamber administrator is particularly excited to see the festival’s return, as she served as a volunteer for the first two years of the event, she said.

“It’s a more down-to-earth event,” Feagan said. “We just want people to come out to enjoy good food, good music and good company.”

Organizers are hoping to draw a large crowd to the event, with Feagan saying she would like to see at least 500 in attendance on Saturday.

The chamber will also host a Classic Car Cruise-In during the festival. Vintage automobile owners may register their vehicles for the show, with awards going to the top five cars as voted by attendees. The winners be announced at 3:30 p.m.

Tickets for the festival may be purchased in advance — online at carolinafoothillschamber.com or at the chamber office, located at 2753 Lynn Road, Suite A, Tryon — or at Harmon Field the day of the event. Organizers will honor tickets purchased for the original May 19 date.

For more information, people may call 828-859-6236.