Live In Livingston Plans To Return In July

Livingston is planning to bring bring live music back to Central Park after taking 2020 off because of the pandemic.

The event is called Live in Livingston and it would happen from July until October. Downtown Revitalization Chairman Ray Evans said planning has to begin now because you cannot wait to book quality performers.

“We’re real excited, we just think that the community needs to have something like this again,” Evans said. “After being sort of sequestered for the last 12 months or so.”

Livingston will monitor COVID numbers in the lead up to the events, but allocated $35,000 so planning can begin. Live in Livingston will happen on one Saturday a month.

“To get quality entertainers you have to book them now,” Evans said. “You can’t wait until a month before the event to book them. So even though these may be tentative bookings we’ll be going ahead now and have been working on the specific individuals or groups that might perform.”

Evans said that these downtown events are funded by the city’s participation in the state sales tax rebate program. He said Livingston is one of six cities in Tennessee that participate in this program.

“Within the downtown area of Livingston, the state rebates a certain percentage of the sales taxes that are collected,” Evans said. “Within that central business district, back to the city of Livingston for reinvestment in the downtown area.”

Evans said they try to plan around other occasions downtown, to create an all-day event atmosphere. Evans said Overton County Health Department guidance will be a part of making this event safe to hold.