Since 2014, one local restaurant has looked at putting a spin on the downtown Elizabethton scene to promote tourism and encourage the public to take in the sights, sounds … and some pizza.
Jiggy Ray’s Downtown Pizzeria is gearing up for the JiggyPalooza 2017. The musical event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 24, in the alley beside the restaurant. The festival will last from 5-11 p.m. and tickets are currently on sale now for $5.
Watching the event grow over the years has been a joy, according to Jiggy Ray’s co-owner John “Bull” Malone.
“The first time we did this, people were like ‘what are you doing having music in the alley’,” he said. “But it has worked out so great since then. The City allows us to block off the alley. We’ve got people that come in, bands perform and we’ll also have different games and contests going during the night. It’s just an incredible time and we appreciate the support.”
Patrons will be able to purchase food, beverages and enjoy the atmosphere outside for the different activities.
The three bands that will be highlighting the evening’s activities:
• Fortress
• JV Squad
• Jackdaw’s 7
“We’ve got great music coming in,” Malone said.
JiggyPalooza is just one of the four pieces of Jiggy Ray’s concert series for this year. Other events on the horizon include JiggyStock (July 22), JiggyRoo (August 19) and JiggyFest (September 2).
The restaurant has been a fundamental cog in the tourism machine of attracting the public to the downtown area. Along with the Carter County Car Club’s annual Cruise-In events and their regularly scheduled bigger car show, Jiggy Ray’s is continuing their Monday bike nights, which continually grow each year, according to the owners of the restaurant.
Another key benefit of the concerts is that proceeds from tickets go toward assisting the restaurant’s “Raising the Dough for Education” program. The program was created last year and the restaurant was able to provide $2,500 worth of scholarships to a student from each of the five high schools in the community.
Malone and John Seehorn thanked the public and their staff for the support of the program during Sunday’s scholarship presentation and alluded to the fact they hope to see the program grow even more for the 2017-18 school year.
For more information on the concert series, how to purchase a ticket, or to learn more about “Raising the Dough for Education, visit the store during regular business hours at 610 E. Elk Ave., or call (423) 518-1500. The restaurant can also be found on Facebook by searching for “Jiggy Ray’s Downtown Pizzeria”.