We just got back from the July 18-19: Uncle Dave Macon Days,  held in Murfreesboro, TN.  The setting was almost idyllic, a historic district full of prior effort... A 1800s era town, complete with town hall, church, mill, blacksmithy,  school and numerous other facilities, most of them functional.  The show wound around the central town park, and was almost inundated with groups of blue grass and gospel musicians practicing their art. It was a remarkable backdrop for any show.

Attendance was strong, but sales were lackluster for such a large and well-publicized gathering (ours were about half what we earned the week before at the similar but smaller and less ambitious Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree).  Given that the event was front page news in the local paper, and Murfreesboro (a suburb of Nashville) is a much larger city than Smithville, this was all the more problematic.

Weather was near-ideal for July, so another variable that could have weighed on results was neutralized.

Some notes I made while trying to figure out the show's odd lack of productivity for its arts and crafts vendors...

The local civic and religious organizations were notably sparse. The food court was largely populated with the professional vendors one usually sees at these events.  Local groups should be key supporters of any such endeavor.  Well-heeled festival visitors were simply not there - a structural problem for whoever is planning the event's advertising and promotion.

After some discussion, we have decided to try it again next year, just to see if this was a fluke, since we both really like the venue and the wonderful historic setting. <Ed note... it wasn't a fluke. Uncle Dave Macon Days has always been MUSIC oriented.>

July 25-26: Save the Music, LaFollette, TN. CANCELLED two weeks before it was scheduled to happen!!!

OK, some strong words for these folks.  We JUST received a single page letter by mail that this show has been cancelled!  Given that we held a lengthy phone conversation with them 10 days ago, this was both surprising and financially costly for us. We made binding hotel reservations as a RESULT of that telephone conversation, during which the representative gave no warning whatsoever that the festival may/may not be held.  Everyone be advised, this show HAS been cancelled. Do NOT make any plans if you have not yet received your very tardy notification.