Music on the Square goes live as the city of LaFayette is gearing up to host a Memorial Day weekend music festival on Saturday, May 28, from noon to 11 p.m.

The free concert will see East Patton Street closed off. Some big names and local talent will take the stage, which will be located in front of the Walker County Courthouse.

According to Music on the Square’s Mark Hise, this is the first time the city has approached this level of com-mitment to put on some much-needed entertainment for LaFayette. Hise plans to bring back the event annually and eventually make it into a two-day event.

“In this tough economy, it is nice to see businesses in the area do this for the city,” said Hise, owner of Music on the Square, a downtown business.

Several sponsors have put in the dime and time to see the city host such an event, which will include Nashville stars Collin Raye and Daisy Dern & Dave Gibson.

The event will see a long-time-in-the-making return for local country pioneers Boys at Heart.

Additional musical talent includes Bounty Hunter, Bruce Chastain & the Death Dealers, Casey Adams Band, Level Mountain, Southern Love Kills, and The Dennis Brown Band.

Hise said he is taking applications for vendors as the need for vending grows as the day approaches.

“We need something here in LaFayette that we can put our stamp on it,” Hise said.

Brand the theme

According to Hise, he is taking ideas and submissions from the public as to what to brand the proposed annual event. Hise said all citizens who want to put in their ideas should email him at mark@musiconthesquareonline.com.

Hise, who has wanted to put together something like this in the city of LaFayette for years, said he was brain-storming ideas with friends and like-minded individuals and just decided to give it a go and with the help of area businesses willing to sponsor the event and the city giving it the go ahead, the vision began to become a reality.

“Like Down Home Days, LaFayette needs something to call it their own,” he said.

Next year is already in the plans for the owner of the Music on the Square, as Hise plans to make next year and the years that follow for the event a two-day affair for the city.

“As soon as this one is over, we are going to start planning the next one,” he said.

Food and beverages will be available to purchase and there will be arts, crafts, a moonwalk and inflatables for children at the all day event.

Hise encourages citizens to bring a lawn chair to sit in. No outside coolers will be allowed.

Hise said the event wouldn’t be possible if it were not for the efforts of the sponsors, which include The Bank of LaFayette, Chapman Jewelry, City Club, LaFayette Lions Club, LaFayette Rotary Club, McDonald’s, Pigeon Moun-tain Trading Company, Wilson Funeral Home, Pots on the Spot, Automotive Specialist, Buttercup Alley, Dari Dip, Debbi’s Flowers, Dixie Collision, Hammond & Jones Hardware, Ivy Cottage, LaFayette First United Methodist Church, North Georgia Eye Care, Sonshine Portraits, O’Bryant & Associates Insurance, Shear Time, Teems & Teems Agency, Wanda’s Restaurant and Accent Graphics.

For more information, visit www.musiconthesquareonline.com, or call 706-639-9250, for vendors, call 423-902-0239, or email webbe202@yahoo.com.