There are not a lot of degrees of separation between the Inman Park community and Kevin Bacon’s character, Ren, in “Footloose.” In the iconic movie, a staid community couldn’t keep Bacon and his friends from dancing; likewise, COVID-19 and the city’s ban on event permitting can’t keep Inman Park from partying.
“We just couldn’t, couldn’t go two years without doing something,” says Jane Bradshaw Burnette, who, along with Samantha Bailey, is the co-chair of the Inman Park Tour of Gardens. “This is a neighborhood that loves to celebrate. We just needed something to mark the arrival of spring and we knew that, regardless of COVID, people would need something to celebrate. We started planning this in the fall before the vaccine came out, but we decided to do this with the focus on safety first, and then fun.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Of course, the neighborhood made sure it is completely in compliance with the city’s ban against festivals and gatherings, as well as medical recommendations about COVID-19 safety. So, instead of the annual Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes, this year it is called the Inman Park Tour of Gardens. The garden party will take place April 23-25 where nine neighbors, plus the Trolley Barn, will welcome the public to their gardens. “We don’t need a city permit for people to open up their gardens so people could walk through. It’s a private ticketed event.”
On the garden tour will be new landscapes and untraditional touches, such as pathways and sculptures, while other gardens are more formal in style. Many of the homeowners will talk to guests as they stroll through the property.
Credit: Contributed by the Inman Park Neighborhood Association
Credit: Contributed by the Inman Park Neighborhood Association
Traditionally, the festival involved the garden tour as well as concerts, dance performances, arts and crafts booths, food stalls and the colorful and rowdy Inman Park Parade. In keeping with the times — and bypassing the city’s restrictions — the event will still have some of those elements. Instead of musicians performing on a public stage, they will be on the private front porches or lawns of homeowners. Several artists, such as Mallory Brooks and Matt Terrell, will also display their work outside at private residences.
For those who want to stay and listen to the music, they are welcome to sit on the lawns of friendly neighbors and sidewalks. “There are no street closures and no security. We would have to get a city permit to do that,” Burnette says. “We tried to pick houses that had a lot of available space, were near parks or intersections, and where people could stay and enjoy the performances.”
Credit: Contributed by the Inman Park Tour of Gardens
Credit: Contributed by the Inman Park Tour of Gardens
Local art gallery Whitespace will show Eric Mack’s exhibition “Of Stone and Stem,” “Search and Recovery” by Mark Bradley Shoup and Julia Hill’s “American Niche”. Wristbands are not required but face masks must be worn.
Traditionally, dance has been a part of the festival since 2001, so it was important that it was included this year. Two dance festival regulars, Full Radius Dance and ImmerseATL, will create site-specific works for the weekend. Full Radius will perform on the steps of Lizzie Chapel at 850 Euclid Ave., and ImmerseATL will create a work for Delta Park at Edgewood Avenue and Delta Place. The performances will take place on at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25. The shows, which are free and open to the public, will run about 20 minutes and be the same for all four performances.
There will be no food options other than two food trucks and King of Pops carts, so no city permits were needed; also, in compliance with the regulations, no alcohol will be available.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
In keeping with COVID-19 precautions, there will be only 500 tickets per day offered, and, unlike previous years, are only good for the specific date. Attendees must purchase the tickets online and redeem them for a wristband that can be picked up at the Trolley Barn. Masks will be required and there will be volunteers ensuring that proper crowd spacing is maintained. The festival is a fundraiser with the money going to help repair public sidewalks and will includedonations to the area’s public schools, library and theatre groups.
This year would have been the 50th anniversary of the festival and tour of homes, so that’s why it’s only being called the Inman Park Tour of Gardens.
“We decided to call it a ‘tour of gardens’ rather than a festival and, we’re going to fudge a bit on the year, and call next year’s celebration the 50th anniversary,” Burnette says. “It’ll be big.
“This is a neighborhood that loves to celebrate and when you are told you can’t, well, you miss it even more. We really needed this and needed something to look forward too; we really did,” she says. “Nothing can keep us down.”
EVENT PREVIEW
Inman Park Tour of Gardens. 4-8 p.m. April 23; Noon-4 p.m. April 24-25. $25. The Trolley Barn, 963 Edgewood Ave. NE. inmanparkfestival.org.
