Concerts returning with city’s help
By Bobby Bryant, Editor
Darlington’s summer/fall concerts will return this year, thanks to a big boost from City Council. During its June 8 meeting, council agreed to finance the concerts with $16,000 from the city’s hospitality-tax fund – enough for four concerts at $4,000 each. The events could begin as soon as July 10. The Bringing Downtown Alive Concerts! have been handled by the Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association, but DDRA director Lisa Chalian-Rock said the group’s board had not been able to secure enough sponsorships or raise enough money to hold the concerts this year because of “COVID-19 restrictions and impacts on local businesses.” In a presentation to council, Rock said, “While we want to encourage folks to return downtown now that it may be safe to do so, we need assistance getting these events running again.” The concerts, Rock wrote, “provide activity at the town’s center, encourage restaurants to open, and bring residents and visitors back downtown. Each event would feature a different band, vendors and possibly a car show. A new element would be adding a silent auction item to raise funds for catastrophic medical issues affecting the families of several business owners.” “We know that (the concerts) get people downtown, and that’s the goal,” Rock told council. The concerts are to run 7-10 p.m. on the Public Square. Details may change, but a proposed schedule looks like this: Saturday, July 10: Family Fellowship Week Saturday, Aug. 7: Back to School Bash Saturday, Sept. 4: Race Weekend Saturday, Oct. 2: Fall Music and Fun