I love that Cullman can finally have events like this. We have evolved so much in the past five years.”Ashley Love, 2nd Fridays Attendee
CULLMAN – The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce launched their kickoff event, 2nd Fridays, where they have partnered with Rock the South for a Battle of the Bands style competition. The event kickoff was the first of a series running from March through October. Local stores in downtown Cullman extended their hours and offered a special giveaway, while local restaurants offered a variety of food & free entertainment for everyone to enjoy, while seeking nominations for the bands that will rival it out in the months to come.
“We put this on primarily for the folks in Cullman that own restaurants and retail businesses,” said Cullman Chamber President Leah Bolin. “And for those that don't know Cullman to come out and discover it. That's why partnering with Rock the South was a perfect choice to draw people to our local businesses.”
While the weather was not exactly cooperative with cold temperatures, everyone that participated still had a great time listening to the stellar music of DownSouth.
“I like that our hometown has something like this where people can come together and support local bands,” said attendee Ashley Love from Trimble. “I love that Cullman can finally have events like this. We have evolved so much in the past five years. We never had events like this, and music like this here just a few years ago.”
The first few months of 2nd Fridays will feature Battle of the Bands. Citizens were invited on the kick-off night to nominate their favorite local band to participate in the battle. One band who is hopeful to make the cut is a new band in town called Southern Stitches. Lead singer Jesse Priest and lead guitarist Tyler Phillips were both excited to have the opportunity this event offers. Phillips was especially excited after recently coming back from two tours in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps.
“Music is what we love to do,” Priest said. “We play southern rock, we do some original and some covers, we mix it up. We're freshly started but we have a lot of support. It would just be an honor to be nominated; this is a great opportunity for us.”
2nd Fridays and Battle of the Bands Schedule
- April 10th – 1st Round
- May 8th – 2nd Round
- June 12th – Final Round
- June 19th – Rock the South
The winner of the final round will perform at the Rock the South music festival. 2nd Fridays, combined with the crowd drawing power of Rock the South, should create a supportive atmosphere for local artists, retailers and restaurants alike, according to Leah Bolin.
More information on this event can be found at CullmanChamber.org/Fridays.
