Banner Elk Downtown Get Down at Banner Elk Town Park Sunday

Inaugural Event Benefits Local in Need of Kidney Transplant

Story by Chelsea Baldwin

Melissa Reaves sings on stage during a performance. Reaves will be one of the many musicians volunteering her time and talents to make this event a success.

Local restaurants, musicians, businesses and community members are teaming together to host the inaugural Banner Elk Downtown Get Down for residents and visitors of the High Country to get together, enjoy themselves and each other in the presence of some live music, great food and auctions.

Everyone is invited to Banner Elk Town Park this Sunday, October 25, from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. or later to not only have a great time, but to also assist a friend of many in this area who is in need of a kidney transplant.

The event coordinators are aiming to raise $10,000 through selling t-shirts, food, drinks, baked goods, a huge silent auction and taking donations for wine and beer. The live music, however, is free to all who wish to come by and listen. The money will be used to pay for surgery for a community member that has been very visible in the High Country for many years. She is currently sick and staying at a hospital away from her hometown, and this would mean a lot to her, her family, and the community as a whole, according to event organizers.

Ideas for next year’s benefit cause are still up in the air, but according to Lynne Lear, one of the event’s coordinators, they would like to continue the event and donate the money to members in the community as a need arose; like a house burning down, or someone with multiple children suddenly and tragically becoming a single parent.

The event has already received lots of support and donations from the local community. Seven restaurants are donating food, including The Bayou Smokehouse, Artisinal Restaurant and Pappy’s. Items to be auctioned have been donated by 16 businesses and restaurants including Beech and Sugar Mountain, Makoto’s and Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants.

“There has been an outpouring of generosity toward all aspects of putting on this benefit concert,” said Lear. “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends and neighbors!”

The musical lineup for the day includes headliner Big Daddy Love, Melissa Reaves, Dark Side of the Boone, The Lucky Stripes and The Whip Daddy’s.

All musicians and bands have agreed to play at the event free of charge, which is one of the most awe-inspiring things in terms of the outpouring of support for the event, according to Lear. “I’m going to cry if I talk about it too much more,” she said.

“Everyone here works very hard through the leaf season,” said Lear, “so this is a great way for us to let our hair down toward the end of it.”

There will be events and activities for all ages, including face painting and a playground for children.

Event coordinators ask that no one bring coolers since the music is absolutely free to listen to, and all the money raised will be off food, drink and auction sales.

In case of rain, the event will be held at The Best Western Mountain Lodge in Banner Elk. For more information about the event, contact Lear at 423-794-8825.