GREENBACK, Tenn. — Greenback is gearing up for an exciting weekend as it prepares to host the Rock the Country music festival at Maple Lane Farms on Friday and Saturday. The small town, situated along the Blount-Loudon County line, is expecting thousands of attendees for the highly anticipated event, which will be held on the Blount County side of town.
Event organizers are anticipating between 12,000 and 15,000 festival-goers each day, with local businesses and the community preparing to welcome the influx of visitors. Greenback Mayor Dewayne Birchfield expressed excitement about showcasing the town’s charm to those traveling from outside the area.
“This here is a small community, and we do our best to treat people right and make them feel welcome,” Mayor Birchfield said.
Nearby businesses, including Bluestem Hollow Cafe, are preparing for the increase in customers. Jess Barnhart and Abby Brown, who work at the cafe, are looking forward to the festival crowd and the opportunity to offer food and beverages to festival-goers in need of a break from the festivities.
“I believe we are expecting a pretty good crowd, just because people are going to be out there and when they’re not at the festival, they might meander out here and try to find some coffee, some snacks, and we’re ready for that,” Barnhart said.
To accommodate the expected surge in visitors, Bluestem Hollow Cafe has introduced a special drink for the weekend and stocked up on local snacks, meats, and non-alcoholic beverages sourced from nearby farms.
“I think that a lot of people will love coming to visit and seeing everything a little bit different here in Greenback. We love it here,” Brown added.
While the festival promises to bring excitement, local authorities are also preparing for the challenges posed by large crowds and heavy traffic. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office has outlined a traffic plan to minimize disruptions for residents.
“We’re going to have units assigned here Thursday through Sunday to try to lessen the impact. The flow of traffic, we’re going to try not to change any more than we absolutely have to. We’ll have two-way streets on all the roads, and we won’t be shutting down any roadways,” explained Lt. Randy Ailey with the BCSO Traffic Unit.
The peak traffic times are expected to coincide with the concerts’ conclusion, particularly when headliners Kid Rock and Nickelback take the stage at 9:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday night. Lt. Ailey anticipates that up to 20 to 25 deputies will be on hand to manage traffic and ensure safety at intersections.
The festival marks a significant event for Greenback, which last hosted a large-scale concert at Maple Lane Farms in 2016 with country music star Luke Bryan. The Rock the Country festival is the second stop on a 10-town tour across the eastern United States, bringing a blend of classic rock and country music to smaller communities like Greenback.
As the town prepares for the festival, both local residents and visitors alike are eagerly anticipating a weekend filled with great music, community spirit, and a taste of Greenback’s Southern hospitality.
