Center Hill Lake Fest III
05.14.2022 - The brave Burlappers who were undaunted by the pop-up showers, with occasional wind, thunder, and distant lightning Saturday afternoon and evening, were rewarded by the special efforts extended by the Burlap Room’s entertainers, series sponsors and vendors during the evening. Lake Fest III’s musical performers started out with a hard-driving opening set from Jimmy Wayne Garrett - impressive from the start, judging from the Burlappers’ enthusiastic response. We were proud to host Jimmy Wayne Garrett’s first-ever live performance in Tennessee - he and his young family recently moved to McMinnville, TN, to pursue his songwriting and musical artist career, as well as his many other interests - hosting a podcast, landscaping…and he can whip you up a pretty good meal to boot. If it’s true that Nashville is now receptive to other genres of music outside country, Jimmy Wayne Garrett has a legitimate shot at a successful musical career!
The headliner for Lake Fest III was McKinley James - you may remember him and his sensational guitar-playing from Pat Sweeney and the Tiger Beats during the Burlap Room 2021 Concert Series, but this time he was running the show with a couple of very competent musical compadres - Austin John Doody on a Hammond B-3 organ (kickin’ that bass with his feet and left hand), and excellent drummer, Jason Smay. McKinley’s playing and vocals impressed me immediately as a “young, hot player with an old soul”, and he certainly lived up to that description Saturday Night, and the crowd let him know how much they appreciated his (and his band’s) unique talents!
Another “unannounced” group that certainly livened up the Solstice Stage indoor live music area was…..the Bachelorette Party Ladies, “mostly from the Midwest”. Thanks for choosing Bert Driver’s Burlap Room for your party! And of course all the Lake Fest III sponsors and vendors came through with the “lake-related” products and services! Anderson Marine displayed a new Aluma Sport 716 Pontoon Boat, Pop Paddleboard and PopDock water toys, and Hurricane Marina and Center Hill Realty and Chalets also had representatives present, and although not on-site for Lake Fest III, David Webber and the Limestone Title and Escrow are the latest addition to our 2022 Concert Series Sponsors - welcome to the team!
Other happenings at Lake Fest II included the Series Vendor Crooked Creek Designs, special guest vendor, Dawn Sturgill’s Art in Wood handmade leather products, and Alex Daniels from Edgar Evins State Park with goodie bags and (2) free nights of camping to three lucky Burlappers! Plenty of food from YaYa’s Food Truck, Kirby’s Mini Donuts, and Tio’s Taco’s Truck, the Burlap Room (now-traditional) Tree-Giveaway to the three more random Burlappers, (Arapaho Thornless Blackberry Bushes), free photo booth, and Free Haircuts by Kobe, yes, FREE haircuts, by a real deal, pro stylist/barber! I ask you...”Where else might one find a concert venue with perks like THAT?!” Answer: No place but Bert Driver’s Burlap Room!
The fun times continue this coming Friday, May 20, 2022 with The Smoky Nights, who will officially launch the Harvester Performance and Event Center’s Concert Series, an event sponsored exclusively by Limestone Title & Escrow. Come on out and be a part of history, rock out to ever-popular, and Burlappers’ favorite, The Smoky Nights during this very special evening! Stay tuned for exciting news about the Harvester’s offerings for the weekend of Smithville’s 51st Annual Fiddlers’ Jamboree Celebration, including a warm-up “JamboEVE” Concert on Thursday June 30, 2022. Stay up-to-date with all the events in the Bert Driver Network (Nursery, Burlap Room, and the newly-opened Harvester Event Center) by signing up for our Burlapper Newsletter. All tickets for all Burlap Room and Harvester Event Center can be purchased at burlaproom.eventbrite.com. See y’all here!
