After its cancellation last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Jonesborough Days returns this weekend, exciting downtown business owners who depend on it and other large festivals to stay afloat throughout the year.
The two-day festival typically brings thousands to downtown Jonesborough each year during the Fourth of July weekend. This year is the 50th iteration of the event.
Jonesborough Barrel House Owner Ben Dean, who called the loss of Jonesborough Days and the National Storytelling Festival a “devastating blow” last year, said he’s hoping to see a massive turnout on Saturday and Sunday.
“I feel like it’ll be the biggest crowd we’ve had in years, only because of COVID, and everybody wants to get out — all the restrictions have been dropped,” said Dean. “It’s just time to get back to normal life.”
And while the festival’s return is something to celebrate for Dean, he said he’s heading into this year’s festival severely short-staffed, with half the employees he’d have in a normal year.
“We’re just asking that all the festival-goers exercise extreme patience with my staff on waiting times and things like that, so that part of it is stressing me out, but I am looking forward to seeing the whole community around the East Tennessee area come out and enjoy this time-honored tradition of Jonesborough Days,” Dean said.
April Wilhelm, who works at Noelle’s Seasonal Decor, said she’s looking forward to seeing people returning to town and gathering together again.
“We’re excited about seeing all the great visitors who come and visit with us, especially people that come back for family reunions,” said Wilhelm. “It’s just nice to see people gathering together again, and especially supporting local businesses as well.”
Down the street at East Tennessee Hemp Co., Tara Cooper was busy Friday morning ordering extra supplies and finishing preparations for the expected surge in customers this weekend. Cooper said last month’s celebration of Tennessee’s 225th birthday gave them a taste of what to expect this weekend.
“I’m glad for all the shops down here,” Cooper said. “It’s a great thing, and this is going to be the 50th year and that’s so exciting, but just having it I think it’s just huge and will give us back that kind of norm that we’ve been missing.”
Sweet E’s Bakery Owner Erin Parks, meanwhile, is looking forward to her first Jonesborough Days after opening last year.
“We’re pretty excited,” said Parks. “We don’t really know what to expect.”
Parks said she was a little disappointed with the festival not happening last year, but that she didn’t know what to expect in a year dominated by the pandemic. This year though, Parks said other business owners have told her to stock up ahead of the festival, and that they’ll likely be really busy.
“We’re hoping, and we’re excited about it,” Parks said.
