The Town of Canton has changed plans for its Labor Day festival.
While the board was considering increasing the Labor Day budget from $20,000 to $135,000 to bring in a popular musical artist, members quickly changed their minds when they saw the price tag.
In a staff report from Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss, it stated that staff was prepared to make offers to Chris Young, Chase Rice or Easton Corbin — all chart-topping country artists. All artists would cost between $50,000 to $60,000 for a Sunday night concert plus another $32,000 to pay the booking agent, production crew and other associated costs.
That price was expected, but the $15,000 fee to use the Pisgah High School stadium as the venue was not expected. Hendler-Voss said the school system was willing to work with the town but had concerns about potential damage to the football field turf. The school system would not allow a portable stage to be placed on the field.
Other reasons included concerns from churches about a big concert competing with Sunday night services and aldermen unsure the big names, which they had never heard before, would sell enough tickets to cover costs.
In case you’re going, this the approved schedule:
Friday night would kick off with Pickin in the Park; Saturday would include entertainment of some sort at Sorrells Street Park and the annual car show; Sunday would include gospel singing Sunday after church at the Colonial Theatre; Balsam Range could perform at Sorrells Park Sunday night and Monday would include the annual Labor Day parade followed by a kids zone at Sorrells Street Park with concessions, food trucks and the traditional fair and local musical entertainment would stay at the rec park.
