DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Thousands flocked to downtown Tullahoma this past weekend to be part of the 41A Music Festival’s return to downtown for a two-day event featuring music, scores of vendors and a wide array of food and fun.

Highland Rim Kiwanis President Emily Raths said it was good to be back home in downtown after three years away from the 41A Festival’s roots.

“We have been at Grider Stadium the last two years and had to cancel the festival two years ago due to COVID,” Raths said. “This year we came back downtown with a huge crowd, over 41 vendors, all to support the local children’s charities.”

Some of the charities include HorsePlay, Head start, Tullahoma Daycare, Coffee County Community Advisory Board, 5 Loaves 4 Kids, Blue Monarch, CASA Works, Imagination Station and many more.

“We’ve given over $150,000 since the festival started 13 years ago,” Raths noted.

President-Elect Tracy Sergeant said she was happy to see the huge turn out on opening night.

“We were competing with a lot of events so it was nice to see such a big turnout,” she said.

The lineup on Friday included Utopia, Bad Monkey and Ace Monroe. Saturday saw Salem Creek, the Differents, The Country Night and The Boy Band. The latter two groups are actually the same bands but they put on two separate genres with two different sets.

“On behalf of the Kiwanis Club of the Highland Rim, I would like to thank our sponsors, volunteers and the city of Tullahoma,” Raths said. “Without their support, our small club would not be capable of putting on such a large event each year. This year we returned to our roots, in Downtown Tullahoma! Many Downtown businesses participated taking the festival down Lincoln Street. It was exciting to have so many businesses and vendors as well as a very popular kid’s zone. “

 “We have so many people and businesses to thank in our community.” Raths continued. “Cat Murray, 41 A Music Festival Emcee, Thank You!”

Raths then thanked the sponsors of the 41A Music Festival. There were three tiers of sponsorships which include:

Platinum Level: L & H Distributing Company, Cherokee Distributing Company, City of Tullahoma, Tullahoma Police & Fire Departments, Master of Ceremonies, The Duck WDUC 93.9, The Rooster 101.5 and The Tullahoma News.

Gold Level: Apex Restoration DKI, Ascend Federal Credit Union, Barrett Construction, FirstBank, Brent Myers Contruction Inc., Christopher Equipment, Citizens Tri-County Bank, Clearwater Pool & Spa Manchester, Coffee County Bank, Stone Fort Mortgage,  First Vision Bank, Holiday Inn Express, i3 Cares, Jacobs, Joe Denby, Lester, Greene, McCord & Thoma Insurance, McMurr’s, N.A.S, Old Shed Brewing, Rogers Group, Ross Services, Showcase Media & TV Ads, Siteworx and Weichert Realtors, Joe Orr & Associates.

Silver Level: Access Title, Cubic, Smart Bank, Stan McNabb, SIM&S and Mike Winton Realty & Auction.

Raths also thanked the many volunteers who worked the two-event, which include: Diane Barksdale, Bob Barksdale, Scarlett Carpenter, Charla Graves, Brad Graves (Tullahoma Kiwanis), Nancy Fuller (Trader’s Bank), Meg Glenn, Tony Glenn (Happy Go Social), Emma Coleman, Nita Estill, Amanda Collins, Patsy Jones, (Tullahoma Day Care), Rush Bricken (TN State Representative), Mike Winton (Mike Winton Realty & Auction), Don Wheeler (PS&G Financial), Charles Miller, Wanda Luneack, Huel Goldston, Mike Cullen, (Weichert Realtors, Joe Orr & Associates), Tina Sordelet (Vanderbilt Tullahoma – Harton Hospital), Busch Thoma (Lester, Green, McCord & Thoma Insurance), Sue Wilson, Jessica Moore (City of Tullahoma), Joanne Reynolds (Smart Bank) Bev Raths, Missy Shahan Erica Hall, Bryan Hall, JROTC Cadets, Richard Cowan, Marsha Cowan, Donald Golden, Nancee Jones, Kaydence Transue, Jeff Roe, Evelyn Curlee, Joseph Starr, Blake Tankersley and Jay Reynolds.

Photos courtesy of Duane Sherrill.