Carnival of Soul

While the public health pandemic is forcing festival-goers to delay kicking up their heels on State Street until 2021, they can take in three streamed live performances and some recorded highlights from festivals past on the originally scheduled weekend — Sept. 10-12. Those will be followed Sept. 13 by a drawing for the second annual Bristol Sessions Super Raffle.

“We’re looking forward to next weekend. We’ve been talking for a long time about what can we do to at least have some type of excitement,” Leah Ross, executive director of the Birthplace of Country Music, said Wednesday.

The lineup kicks off with a live recording of the “Farm and Fun Time” show for PBS featuring Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, 49 Winchester and Bill and the Belles at 7 p.m. Sept. 10.

On Sept. 11, also at 7 p.m., the plan is to livestream a show featuring Virginia artists Amythyst Kiah, Morgan Wade and Martha Spencer. Sponsored by the Virginia Tourism Corp. to celebrate Virginia Music Heritage Month, the show will also include some announcements about the 2021 festival lineup.

Saturday’s virtual live show features performances by Acoustic Syndicate and Jim Lauderdale, also starting at 7 p.m. In addition, the lineup includes streaming recorded performances by The War and Treaty, Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Mike Farris, Folk Soul Revival, Jerry Douglas and the Earls of Leicester and the Way Down Wanderers — all from past festivals. Those begin at 1 p.m.

The raffle drawing begins at noon Sept. 13.

All events will be streamed simultaneously on the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Facebook page, its website www.BristolRhythm.com and the Radio Bristol YouTube channel. There is no charge to watch.

“It’s a sad time for us. I get pretty emotional about it,” Ross said. “While it will be exciting to do something, it still will be disappointing because our streets aren’t filled with some of our best friends.”

Ross said she hopes people will continue patronizing downtown businesses, which won’t benefit from the normal influx of thousands during festival weekend. And she appreciates some businesses donating a portion of sales to BCM and Believe in Bristol as all try to survive the pandemic.

Ross said fans understood the decision to push the 20th anniversary event to next year.

“We’ve had very positive feedback. Most people said it was the only choice we could make and they’re very excited for 2021,” Ross said. “I think our loyal fans will be back in 2021 and they’ll bring others with them. I think we’ll be so thirsty for live music and getting out with people that our 20th anniversary — just like we thought it would be this year — will be the biggest ever.”

Organizers have been working to retain as many of the acts as possible for next year’s festival. Headliners including Tanya Tucker, Blackberry Smoke and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have already committed to the 2021 event.

More than 50% of ticket buyers deferred their tickets to next year and others donated the purchase price to the nonprofit organization while others received refunds, Ross said.

This year’s raffle offers more than $250,000 in prizes, including a new Ford Mustang, GMC Terrain, Indian motorcycle, Honda HRV, Toyota Tacoma, vacation trips to Jamaica, the Caribbean, Dollywood and CMA Fest in Nashville, plus a Martin guitar, a 75-inch TV, a surround sound system, diamond earrings and cash prizes. All proceeds benefit the BCM and its operations.

“Response has been good, but we discovered last year a lot of tickets were sold in the last week to two weeks,” Ross said. “We haven’t sold out yet.”

Tickets are $100 and each ticket includes two chances to win. A maximum of 5,000 tickets will be sold.