Clinton preparing for 3-day country music festival

CLINTON, Iowa –  A three-day country music concert event – called the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Music Festival –  will bring about 15,000 visitors and millions of dollars to this community on Thursday through Saturday, June 8-10. Those are the hopes and predictions of Clinton business and city government leaders. Many of those leaders are already […]

CLINTON, Iowa –  A three-day country music concert event – called the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Music Festival –  will bring about 15,000 visitors and millions of dollars to this community on Thursday through Saturday, June 8-10. Those are the hopes and predictions of Clinton business and city government leaders. Many of those leaders are already busy getting ready for the summer festival, which will be a first-time event for Clinton. 

About 50 people, mostly from the business community, gathered Friday morning, March 31, at the Grow Clinton office at 721 S. Second St., for a “Coffee Talk” focused on planning, giving updates and preparation advice for the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Music Festival. “This (festival) puts Clinton on the map in a very positive manner. … This sounds cheesy, but the support we have received from the community has been great,” said Clinton Mayor Scott Maddasion, who led the discussion and offered updates on planning for the festival. Last year, the City of Clinton approved an agreement to partner with USA Concerts to host the country music fest at the Clinton Riverfront, 101 S. First St. Some of the musical acts announced for the festival will include:

• June 8 –  Mitchell Tenpenny, Lainey Wilson, Jackson Dean and Cooper Alan.
• June 9 – Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, Jo Dee Messina and Alexandra Kay.
• June 10 – Jelly Roll, Chase Rice,  Warren Zeiders and Chase Matthew.

The host will be Chelcie Lynn. The festival DJ is Cliffy D. For more information to buy tickets, visit here. At Friday’s meeting, Mayor Maddasion answered questions concerning concert security, parking, economic impact to the community, ticket sales and advice to businesses that are now preparing for the festival and arrival of thousands of visitors. Some of the highlights of the discussion included:

• Economic impact: The festival may attract 10,000 to 15,000 people to Clinton. Officials believe it will have about a $6 million direct economic impact on the community. The mayor told the crowd that judging from ticket sales, most people attending the concert live in a 30-mile radius of Clinton. However, there also are ticket sales being made to country fans from as far as Texas, New Jersey, Kansas, Nebraska and other states. 
• Ticket sales: So far, there have been about 6,000 tickets sold. Mr. Maddasion added that he has been told many additional tickets will be sold in the last few days before the festival. The mayor added that ticket sales are lagging a bit for the all-inclusive VIP tickets. Those tickets include all food, drinks, tickets for shows and more. On the concert website, those tickets begin at about $435 each, but Mr. Maddasion said that many businesses are offering discount prices for the VIP tickets.
• Concert setup: Setup will begin June 5 with the construction of the stages and fencing along the riverfront. USA Concerts officials will leave Clinton almost immediately after the festival to head to and set up for its next country music festival in Bloomington, Illinois.
• Shuttle: During the festival, there will be shuttle services to the concert provided by the Clinton Municipal Transit Administration (MTA). The MTA also will continue to run its normal routes during the event. Shuttles will likely run through midnight or into the early morning hours. Grow Clinton officials said businesses in nearby Fulton, Illinois, also are looking at providing shuttle services.
• Parking: Parking fees in city-owned lots have not been finalized, but the mayor said the fees could be about $30 a day or $75 for a parking pass for the entire festival. Mr. Maddasion added that groups – such as churches and schools – that own private parking lots may want to consider charging for parking space during the festival.
• Sponsorships: Organizers hope to raise $500,000 in sponsorships, and to date, about $320,000 have been sold. However, the mayor added that once in-kind sponsorships are considered, the city has likely already exceeded its goal.
• Security: The mayor said USA Concerts has its own security force that is in charge of the stage areas at the festival. Members of the Clinton Police Department and Clinton County Sheriff’s Department also will assist with security work. Their role will include protecting parked vehicles at or near the festival. In order to enter the festival, all fans will have to walk through metal detector devices called magnetometers.
• Vendors: The vendor area of the festival will include a “Taste of Clinton” section that will include local vendors selling their goods. 

During Friday’s meeting, Deanna Posey, who owns three coffee shops in the Clinton area, suggested that local vendors and businesses begin stocking up on extra supplies immediately so they have enough items for the festival. Her recommendation is to begin ordering a few extra supplies every month so businesses aren’t hit with an immediate big bill. This strategy may also be needed in order to avoid supply chain issues or shortages. “This (festival) is going to be a great thing for Clinton,” she added.

• Railroad crossings: City officials will be meeting with Canadian Pacific Railway officials on Tuesday, April 11, to discuss railroad crossing issues during the festival.
• Planning for next year: Planning for the 2024 Tailgate N’ Tallboys Music Festival will likely begin before this year’s festival is complete, the mayor added.

After the Coffee Talk on Friday, several business owners said they were pleased with the planning and especially glad to see the festival coming to Clinton. “I’m just tickled it’s coming here,” said Brooke Bynum, a musician and owner of The V’ue, a music venue in Clinton. “I think this is going to spark a lot of creativity in the business community in getting things done for this.” Ms. Posey added that she is hoping her coffee shops do some great business during the festival. “I think a lot of people will want some coffee at those after-parties for the festival,” she added. Clinton’s mayor said he hopes the festival planning becomes the “new norm” for the city and wants the concert series to stay in the community for many years to come. “Being a so-called, part-time concert promoter has been an interesting trip,” the mayor joked near the end of the meeting.