First-ever Southern Soul Music Festival debuts in Callaway. See who's on the lineup.
CALLAWAY — Music festivals are a huge hit in Panama City Beach, but one local entertainer is bringing the music to the east side of Bay County.
Bay County’s inaugural Southern Soul Music Festival will showcase local and regional talents with performances from a mix of Southern soul musicians. The festival will run Saturday from 2-8 p.m. at the Callaway Recreational Complex, 504 E. Callaway Parkway.
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Performances will take place outdoors, rain or shine. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, tents and coolers. However, no glass or outside food will be allowed. Gates open at 1:30 p.m., and attendees must be 21 or older to enter. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at the gate or in advance by calling 850-775-9184.
Event organizer Jermaine Hill said his goal is to help grow the music scene in Bay County with an event that caters to local residents. As a solo entertainer, he has hosted similar festivals in the past in such cities as Port St. Joe, Mobile, Alabama, and Columbus, Georgia.
“I’ve done shows like this for over 20 years, but I’ve never had the opportunity to do one for my hometown, and the city of Callaway is giving me a chance to bring one to this side of town,” Hill said. “(Panama City) has been through too much in the past years, and it's time we get together to have fun again.”
There’s a lot to look forward to at this year’s event as six local and national talents, along with four DJ artists, will take the stage to perform at this year’s festival.
The lineup features a mix of blues, jazz and Southern soul music artists, including Jeff Floyd, Chris Godber, King South, Kandy Janai, Cadillac Man and Frank Cornelius. The DJ artists include DJ Big Boi with 99.3 The Beat, DJ Diamond, DJ Robert Stuart and DJ Slim Pimp as the host. Performances will take place in 30- to 45-minutes intervals with DJs playing between acts.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s lineup:
2:45 p.m. – Frank Cornelius
3:15 p.m. – Cadillac Man
4 p.m. – Chris Godber
5 p.m. – Kandi Janai
5:45 p.m. – Jeff Floyd
6:30 p.m. – King South
The Southern Soul Music Festival gives attendees the opportunity to eat, shop and party, with more than 30 vendors expected to attend. Vendors include GetChewABox, Blessed Hands Soul Food, Bakers Catering, Hogg Head Smokeria, Carolines Food and Catering, Genie's Sweet Treats, Paris Boutique, Body Culture Spa, Nalisk Boutique and others.
In partnership with Hill, local businesses Grown Folks Entertainment and Krispy Klean are sponsoring the event. As an inaugural festival, Hill said he hopes to continue hosting the event in future years on the second weekend of August to give the community something to look forward to each year.
“This is just another way to have our community connect with one another while enjoying live music, good food and shopping locally,” Hill said. “This festival will bring a community-oriented atmosphere and a place for people to come out and have a good time.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Southern Soul Music Festival planned for Callaway in Bay County
