Atwood Music Festival set for Sept. 4-5

Plans are coming together for the 2020 Atwood Music Festival in spite of spring flooding and COVID-19 limitations.
Despite the challenges, plans are for the festival to have a full range of activities as always, including a tennis tournament, arts and crafts, and great food.
Featured entertainment includes Last Chance, Zach Bridges Band, Logan Greenlee Band, Sullivan’s Hollow, Sweet Tea Trio, and 4 Way Stop.
The double-elimination tennis tournament will be held Friday and Saturday. There are men’s, women’s, and mixed brackets planned. Registration deadline is Aug. 26 to receive a t-shirt, but late registrations will be accepted until Sept. 1. Forms are available at First Bank. The registration fee of $35 includes one weekend pass for the festival.
There will be a variety of vendors for shopping and concessions. In addition, there will be a beer garden and merchandise tent for entertainers.
Weekend passes for the festival will be $35 whether purchased in advance or at the gate. Saturday tickets at the gate will be $25.
The festival will look much different in many ways this year.
For one, it is being held in fall, instead of spring. That is a direct result of COVID-19, but the change has given workers more time to get the park repaired and cleaned up following spring flooding that damaged electrical systems, cabins, roadways, and walkways.
The other major difference is that masks and social distancing in the festival area will be strongly encouraged. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people interact, and the festival is not immune to those changes. Attendees will be asked to sit in family groups and stay a safe distance from others.
Additionally, festival attendees will not be allowed to have ATVs in the park. Monticello aldermen decided to prohibit them after hearing legal advice that they are not legal on public roads, which include park property.
Cabin Rentals
A lottery is held each year to determine who is awarded cabin rentals. Anyone interested in being in the drawing must submit their name to city hall or drop it in the dropbox at the park. The drawing will be held at noon Aug. 28. If a handicapped cabin is requested, that must be indicated with the name submission.
Featured Entertainment
Festival entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Local artists will perform, and Last Chance, Zach Bridges, and Logan Greenlee will close out the night.
Saturday entertainment begins at 5 p.m. Sullivan’s Hollow and Sweet Tea Trio will play until a fireworks show between 10:30 and 11 p.m. 4 Way Stop will close out the night following the fireworks show.