Madison Plans For Residents-Only Festival | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

Madison Plans For Residents-Only Festival

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Madison Mayor Hawkins Butler said she wants to model a residents-only festival in her city after a festival in Franklin, Tenn., but Franklin officials claim they don't follow such a practice.

Officials from Franklin, Tenn., a city Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler cited last week as a model for keeping outsiders from attending a Madison festival, claim their city has never followed such a practice.

In a Sept. 18 Madison County Herald article, Hawkins said the city was canceling its annual family fall festival, FreedomFest, because of its costs and the high number of non-Madison residents who have attended the event. She said the festival would return next year and may adopt Franklin, Tenn.'s, model of requiring attendees to present a pass proving they are city residents.

"A lot of people come from all over the metro area, and it's not that they're not welcome, but this is intended for Madison families," Hawkins Bulter told the Madison County Herald,

Milissa Reierson, communications manager for the city of Franklin, told the Jackson Free Press this week that the city does not require resident-only passes for any of its festivals. "I'm not sure where the mayor got this information, but we don't do anything like this," she said.

Hawkins Butler did not return calls.

Madison Chamber of Commerce President Donna Sims said the festival has little economic impact on the city. She said the city's festival budget of $30,000 for food and activities meant few people were spending money at local restaurants or shops. Sims added that Madison businesses also sponsored the event.

"Food and everything is free, and the city is funding it for the residents, and a lot of times I think they would run out of food," Sims said. "It was so well attended, which we love, but the taxpayers in Madison are paying for it. It just got to the point that people from all over--while we welcome them--were coming, and it wasn't feasible."

Hawkins Butler reportedly said she wants to see all the festival's events funded through local business sponsors going forward. In the past, the festival has featured pumpkin-carving contests, fireworks, hot-air balloon rides, music and bingo.

Jim Burt, chairman of WellsFest, a family festival in Jackson this weekend, said he has never heard of a city hosting a residents-only festival. While the city of Jackson does not finance WellsFest, Burt said he welcomes all families from the metro area and state.

"I have never heard of an exclusive festival just for the citizens of one city," Burt said. "I was kind of amazed that they were considering such a thing."

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