Music Midtown Festival Scrapped

Update: Organizers of Atlanta’s annual three-day Music Midtown festival have decided to scrap this year’s event due to added costs and the need for a new location.

Promoter and co-founder Peter Conlon said canceling the event held near Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center had been under discussion since last year due to city ordinance changes.

“The city has passed this festival ordinance and it’s put in some requirements that have made it very taxing for large events,” Conlon told Pollstar. “I know they’re in the process of amending all that, but it’s a factor on doing a site in the city.”

Conlon said requirements affecting areas such as security, cleanup, insurance and permits just added to the cost of hosting the event, so it was time to look into the alternatives.

“We’ve had some discussions and looked at some other sites,” he said. “I’ve met with the Mayor, and the Mayor is very supportive and wants to find another site. It’s a big undertaking.”

The first Music Midtown kicked off in 1994 and draws about 100,000 concert-goers annually to see 100 major and emerging acts on multiple outdoor stages.

National artists that have taken the stage include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan and Ashlee Simpson, to name a few.

— Tina Amendola