Thousands of people enjoy the Secret City Festival each year, including the Friday and Saturday night concerts.
Most years, the Secret City and Lavender festivals fall on the same weekend in June.
This year, due to the way they’re scheduled, the two festivals landed on separate weekends. And that gave organizers an opportunity to see how the festivals would do on separate weekends.
The Lavender Festival on June 15 was reported to have one of its biggest crowds ever. Meanwhile, the Secret City Festival this past weekend appeared to attract many visitors, with the parking lot at Oak Ridge Mall packed all the way to JCPenney, and the Saturday night show by Rick Springfield attracting the biggest concert crowd ever.
Having the two festivals on separate weekends also gave residents and visitors a chance to see both, said Josh Collins, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Director. And it gives volunteers a chance to work at both.
Collins said organizers could consider the timing of the two festivals next year. They normally fall on the same weekend. The Lavender Festival is scheduled for the third weekend in June, while the Secret City Festival is scheduled for the third full weekend in June.
But if the timing is changed, Collins said, the question would be which festival would move.
Susie Williams Taylor says
I, for one, LOVE the Lavender Festival! It is the one time of the year that I truly “get the feeling” of how Oak Ridge use to be…
Initially, I didn’t like the separation of Festivals…..now, I do!
ORHS ’62
Carol Donath says
I agree, the Lavender Festival was a great success and it has been on that weekend before the Secret City Festival was. I was able to attend both and they were both better and bigger.
Kay Williamson says
they need to be on separate weekends, you can go and spend the whole day at each. when both are going on you have to try to move thru traffic back and forth,,
Jennifer Shell says
I agree. I think having them on separate weekends was great. I saw bigger crowds at both festivals and personally, I was able to fully enjoy one without thinking about navigating the other. And, my kids were able to get the full impact of both, by having them on separate weekends.
Angi Agle says
I LOVE having them on separate weekends — more time for both!