Aaron Wilkerson with Spectrum Concessions and Events, the organizer for the Moon River Music Festival, received a temporary beer permit for the event that will take place this year on Saturday, Sept. 10, and Sunday, Sept. 11. This is the seventh year for the music festival that was originally held in Memphis but moved to Chattanooga four years ago.
Mr.
Wilkerson described Moon River as a mellow, easy going music festival. He said the crowd of 10,000 each day will be mostly made up of adults. It will be held in Coolidge Park, 150 River St.
This year there will be eight bars, including two VIP locations. Each will have an app which will scan IDs and to detect its status - valid or fake, for example and to ensure the person is 21 or above. All bartenders will be certified by the state of Tennessee, Mr. Wilkerson told the board.
Another annual festival, Rail & Hops Brewers Festival, is scheduled for Sept. 3 and will take place at Miller Park, 850 Market St. from 5-10 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for SoundCorps, an organization that has a mission of supporting local music, Executive Director Stratton Tingle told the board.
It will be a beer-only event with 30 breweries, each serving about two craft beers. This event is for ages 21 and up and IDs will be checked at the gate. A ticket includes a tasting glass and the ability to taste all the beers available. There will also be live music.
The festival will be surrounded with fencing and Georgia Avenue and 10th Street will be closed to expand the footprint. Around 1,200-2,000 people are expected.