“The newest go-to venue with more to do than any other venue around is Franklin’s SummerFEST. We will have more activities, crafts, and vendors than any other event in this area. We’re not just a fireworks show,” said Keri Denney, SummerFEST Committee Chair.
Children’s activities include a Water Walker which allows youth to step inside an inflatable bubble inside a pool and then walk on water. The Bungee Jump will strap you in, lift you up, and drop you much like the bungee jumps you see in tourist areas and amusement parks.
“With new sponsors and a new name this year, the event will take on a whole new look. Our top sponsor this year is Walker Buick / GMC of Carrollton. They will display several vehicles from their exciting 2017 line,” Denney continued. “We’re aiming for the vibe of the amphitheatres in larger cities. We’ll utilize the square as the showcase for local talents with local restaurants providing libations. Because Franklin recently allowed the sale of beverages during the event, we’ll be able to achieve that vibe. We have a great family event that we hope to continue to grow.”
Premium sponsors this year include ALA-GA Roll Off Containers, Caney Head United Methodist Church, Coweta–Fayette EMC / Relyco Security Resources, Heard County Concrete, State Representative Randy Nix, Reeves Supply Co., Tanner Health System, and North Georgia Turf.
Seating is provided on the square for eating or watching the concerts on the green. This year’s entertainment will include two prominent local acts.
Hunter Flanagan is scheduled to play from 5:30PM to 6:30PM on Saturday July 2nd. Hunter is a local 15-yr.-old singer who has performed at Disney World, performs solo on Sundays at Six Flags, and has been the opening act for Country Legend Gene Watson.
The main event, Carrollton’s own HomeGrown will play from 7:00PM until the fireworks on Saturday, July 2nd and then will follow up afterward with street dance music from 10:00PM until 11:30 PM. Homegrown’s unique blend of powerful, nostalgic, three-part harmonies of brothers Craig and Kevin Brannon with vocalist Megan Blair is captured in their newest album release Summer Song. The album includes their first single, “I’m Gonna Be Me,” now listed among BillBoard’s Country Indicator Top 50. It includes others such as “Call You Mine,” “Chasing Dreams,” and “So Long Memory.” Homegrown’s drummer Jason Cole says, “We really tried to pull from all of our influences to create what we believe to be our singular take on the country genre.”
Both acts can be seen on YouTube or their respective websites.
Stay after dusk for one of the best fireworks displays over the Chattahoochee River. SummerFEST begins at 5:00PM on the square in downtown Franklin on Saturday, July 2nd. Follow Heard Chamber on Facebook for more information about the vendors and their offerings.
