The Weakley County Examiner

Shannon Taylor

CEO/Publisher

What began only months ago as an effort by a group of local volunteers to keep Martin’s longtime festival tradition alive will become a reality next week when the first Grassroots Soybean Festival opens in downtown Martin.

The five-day festival will run Sept. 8-12 at Virginia Weldon Park, bringing a familiar September celebration back to Martin but under a new name, new organization and a different approach.

The Grassroots Soybean Festival emerged following the cancellation of the Tennessee Soybean Festival, which had grown over the years into one of Martin’s largest annual events. Rather than allow the tradition to disappear, a group of community members organized a new festival with the stated goal of taking the celebration “back to the roots” and building it around local businesses, agriculture, families, volunteers and the community itself.

That effort became public during Martin city meetings this summer, when organizers appeared before city officials seeking support for the new festival.

Among those representing the organization were Shelby Hatchell, who identified herself as sponsorship director, and John Sellers, communications director. Other volunteers were working on areas including Faith and Family Night, production, media coordination and the festival’s volunteer and information operations.

The group requested $30,000 from tourism funds available to the city as organizers worked against a short timeline to put together a September festival.

The request led to considerable discussion by city officials over exactly how the tourism money could legally be used, whether the newly formed organization qualified to receive it and what documentation would be required.

City officials also discussed the former Tennessee Soybean Festival organization and its relationship with the city. During that discussion, officials said the previous festival nonprofit had its own board and was not strictly part of the city, although the board was believed to no longer be active.

The city did not immediately reject the Grassroots request. Instead, officials sought additional guidance concerning the tourism funds and the requirements attached to their use.

The funding discussion also brought renewed attention to who had actually been attending the previous festival from outside the area. Tourism data reviewed by the city showed that only a small percentage of visitors measured during the former festival came from outside the region, raising questions about how tourism dollars had been used and how future events could demonstrate that they were attracting visitors.

Grassroots organizers maintained that their new event could bring people into Martin while also putting more emphasis on the businesses, organizations and people already here.

Since those early meetings, the festival has taken shape quickly.

Organizers later announced the Tennessee Department of Agriculture as the festival’s presenting sponsor, with a $25,000 sponsorship, while businesses, organizations and volunteers throughout the community have joined the effort.

Now, after months of planning, the first Grassroots Soybean Festival will officially begin Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The opening day will feature the Simmons Bank Soybean Parade. A sidewalk chalk art contest begins at 3 p.m., followed by the parade at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 9, has been designated Martin Market Day. Participating businesses will encourage residents and visitors to shop locally beginning at 7 a.m., and the Martin Farmers Market opens at noon.

Faith & Family Night takes over Thursday, Sept. 10. The Martin Rotary Golf Tournament begins at 11 a.m., followed by festival activities at 5 p.m., including Sprouts Jump Park, a petting zoo, worship programming and a firefighter dunk booth. A free community cookout begins at 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 11, turns the attention toward local music and vendors. Sprouts Jump Park, Vendor Row and Food Truck Row open at 10 a.m. The petting zoo and firefighter dunk booth begin at 5 p.m.

The Hometown Music Showcase begins at 6 p.m. with performances by Ralston Station and The House Band, giving local musicians the spotlight during the festival’s Friday night entertainment.

Saturday, Sept. 12, will close the inaugural festival with a full day of activities and the Roots & Rhythm Concert.

The Martin Middle School 5K begins at 7 a.m., followed by the American Legion breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the Martin Farmers Market at 8 a.m.

By 10 a.m., Sprouts Jump Park, Vendor Row and Food Truck Row will be open, along with Break for Bach through the library. The firefighter dunk booth and petting zoo return at 5 p.m.

Saturday night’s music begins at 6 p.m. with Tennessee Backwater, followed by Houston Kelly at 7 p.m.

The festival is being promoted not simply as a replacement for what Martin had before, but as an opportunity to refocus the annual celebration on the community itself.

The University of Tennessee at Martin’s Office of Research, Outreach and Economic Development is encouraging visitors from across Tennessee and beyond to spend the week in Martin, visit local shops and restaurants, meet local artists and makers, support small businesses and experience the area’s agricultural heritage.

For the volunteers who stepped forward after the future of Martin’s September festival became uncertain, next week’s opening will also mark the culmination of an unusually fast effort to build an event from the ground up.

In a matter of months, Grassroots went from an idea being discussed before city officials to a five-day festival with sponsors, vendors, musicians, family activities, a parade and a schedule stretching from early morning into the evening.

On Sept. 8, the planning ends and Martin gets its first look at what that new tradition will become.