Woodstock Calls Off Summer Concert Series

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Woodstock, GA -- The city of Woodstock has officially decided to postpone its annual Summer Concert Series.

Instead, the City Council on Monday directed staff to finalize plans to host one concert on Veterans Day weekend. The holiday will fall on Friday, Nov. 11.

Council members made the decision at their Feb. 8 meeting following the discussion of a few options City Manager Jeff Moon presented to the council.

The request for alternatives were made by elected officials at the Jan. 25 Council meeting after they were informed that the amphitheater’s construction timeline was running 60 days behind schedule.

Those options include hosting concerts at the Chambers at City Center parking lot, utilizing the stage at the Elm Street Event Green or possibly closing Market Street between Maple and Mill streets to accommodate shows.

Using the Chambers at City Center site, Moon said, means the city would lose its biggest parking lot that can accommodate motorists.

The problem with hosting concerts at the Event Green, Moon added, is that the stage that’s currently at the location isn’t elevated; this means residents who take up the first few rows could block the line of sight of concert goers situated towards the back.

Another downside: even if the city wanted to use its portable stage at that location, the Event Green isn’t exactly designed to accommodate the structure, Moon said.

Utilizing Market Street, the city manager added, “is kind of the best of the bad options we have.”

Under that option, the city could place its portable stage on Market Street and have musicians play back to concert goers who could watch the show on the Event Green.

That would require the city to close Market Street from Maple to Mill streets, creating a pedestrian-only access area similar to what Greenprints Alliance does for its annual Trailfest fundraiser.

If city leaders were to take that option, city staff recommended possibly hosting singer-songwriter type events on Thursdays. Due to the size of the area, hosting events on Saturdays could lead to the city not having adequate space for the number of people who would attend the concerts.

While construction on the amphitheater remains behind schedule, the city notes the structure is starting to go vertical and residents can now see the facility take shape.

Council member Bud Leonard stated he felt the city was possibly “overreacting” to the situation. Trying to “piecemeal” together a concert series, he added, could lead to a situation ”where people are not going to be happy.”

Plus, the city could capitalize off the momentum and anticipation of the amphitheater’s opening with the Veterans Day event, he added. 

Council member Bob Mueller agreed, adding that the rush to organize concerts throughout the year could lead to the city having an event that leaves residents with little room to park or move around.

“I don’t think it’s worth it,” he said.

Warren Johnson, who represents Ward 1, stated that as much as he didn’t want to postpone the Summer Concert Series, it appears that recommendation could be the right call.

Moon said city staff will bring back recommendations at the Feb. 22 meeting on possible events that could “fill the void” from not hosting the Summer Concert Series.

The new amphitheater at the Park at City Center will feature tiered grass seating for 5,000 to 6,000 people, restrooms, retaining walls and a band shell with a green room. It will be used for outdoor concerts, theater productions and other activities.

Astra Group, Inc. was selected as the contractor for the project. The City Council in August awarded a bid to the company to perform the project for $3.2 million.

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Images via Woodstock Parks and Recreation’s Facebook page