News From Britt Hill – October 2021

We did it! Against all odds—COVID-19, smoke, fires, lower revenue, and staff shortages; Britt’s community came together and prevailed. From my perspective, the biggest payoff was seeing the joy of the performers getting back on stage and the audiences being there to experience it. To behold the reemergence of live music was deeply powerful and moving for everyone—patrons, artists, and volunteers alike.

At the end of each summer, many patrons tend to look back on a Britt season and reminisce about their favorite concert. I am sure that this year is no different. For most of us, one concert stands out as a special memory. Looking back over the 2021 season, I must say my favorite concert was Gladys Knight. Taking in the Empress of Soul in all her glory was quite simply a privilege. We all know her hits, and she sang them to perfection. The Empress’s on-stage presence and vocals were as engaging and captivating as you can imagine. “That’s What Friends Are For,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Midnight Train to Georgia”—all took me to a place of sweet memories and simpler times. For those of you who were lucky enough to attend the concert, you experienced the magic of that special night—that special moment in time that will stay with you forever.

There was another thing about this season that struck me as special. Once Britt went to proof of vaccine or negative test requirements, I simply felt safer on the hill. Even though we all know that none of us is 100% protected, most patrons were very excited about the psychological comfort of being in a bubble knowing that everyone around them had been tested or vaccinated. Interestingly, mental health is not something we normally connect with vaccinations, because vaccines are designed to protect us from physical disease. But getting the COVID-19 vaccine was a way of taking our lives back from the pandemic, and that’s powerful. When you think about it, the vaccine made Britt possible this year.

Looking back over the past 18 months, I still feel so much gratitude. I find myself being grateful for a lot of things that I wasn’t grateful for in the same way, pre-pandemic—like childcare workers and bus drivers. It’s also been a time that I have felt really grateful just seeing neighbors walk their dogs and grocery store clerks showing up for work. We feel it individually, but there’s also a sort of collective gratitude that can arise when we’re all experiencing this challenging thing together. I felt that profound collective gratitude on the hill this year.

In closing, we will never again take for granted the ability to gather as a community and see a concert on our beloved Britt Hill. This year’s Coming Together was truly a gift. And for that, I am grateful.

Featured image: Glady Knight at Britt Festival, Summer 2021 – Photo by Jay Newman