Downtown Days brought crowds to Columbia Friday night for live music, food and shopping, but rain and heavy winds Saturday disrupted the annual fall festival, forcing many vendors to pack up early as the weather worsened.
The first night of the festival featured 101 Bluegrass, which performed a mix of traditional and gospel bluegrass, followed by headliner Back2Mac. The band’s Fleetwood Mac hits had fans of all ages on their feet and singing along.
For the first time in several years, rain and heavy winds affected Saturday’s crowd. Despite the conditions, many visitors braved the weather early in the day to shop with vendors.
The pet parade also returned, featuring about 10 entries. Meanwhile, the festival’s second stage was moved under the hospitality tent, where pageants and local performers attracted spectators.
Brandon Jones, who performs as justBrandon, made festival history as the first rapper to perform at Downtown Days.
Jones, who is from Indiana, said he visited Columbia once before about 13 years ago when he came to spend time with friends and visited Betty’s.
“The people are so nice. I got off stage and so many people were like, ‘You did so good,’ and one guy was like, ‘Were you the one up there spitting the flow,’ and it was funny to hear him say it,” he said.
Jones said the welcoming atmosphere stood out to him.
“I’m from Indiana. So, it’s like everybody is nice. It’s a small-town thing, I think. Small town people are just nice,” he said.
He also joked about making festival history as the first rapper to take the stage.
“You can tell any other rapper that tries to come, no, that I have already been the first,” he said.
Travis Bolt took the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, performing original songs, including “Never Tried Cocaine” and “Blues at my Funeral.”
After the concert, Bolt talked with attendees and posed for many photographs.
“Well, we brought the hurricane with us, but everyone still showed up. We had to hide from the rain a little bit, but it was a great show,” Bolt said. “My buddy, Brandon, opened for us tonight. We went on at 7 p.m. right when the rain stopped and just had a great time.”
Bolt’s musical career has been shaped by his experience with Tourette syndrome, which he was diagnosed with as a child. He once doubted whether he would be able to perform and later tried an experimental medication, but it did not help.
“The medicine never helped me. Cliche’ enough, it’s music. My stuff kind of slows down as I’m playing music,” he said.
Bolt said he also appreciates performing in small communities, where he feels a connection to the people and the atmosphere.
“I love small towns. I grew up in one. I still live in one. I kind of pop around. I have apartments everywhere, but I love going home and this feels like home,” he said.
