OZARK (KFSM)- The Thunder on the Mountain Country Music Festival has been canceled, but one Nashville singer with local roots is putting on a different concert in its place.
“I was looking forward to it,” Lance Carpenter said. “This was gonna be my second year to perform.”
After Carpenter got an email Sunday (June 15) notified him of the news, he decided to take action.
“About five minutes after reading the email, I guess my pride kind of kicked in and said you know, I thought we ought to do something.”
He decided to put on a three-day festival at Byrds Adventure Center in Ozark. Tickets are already on sale on his website for $75.
“If I can pull a rabbit out of my hat in 12 days, organize a three-day festival with probably over 20 bands, maybe 25, some of them you`ve heard of some of them you haven`t,” Carpenter said.
On Saturday (June 13), organizers of Thunder on the Mountain announced on Facebook they are canceling the festival due to circumstances beyond their control. Carrie Underwood, the Zac Brown band and many others were scheduled to perform the weekend of June 26-28.
“I was very surprised about it this close to the concert dates and everything, you know, but I know how these things go, maybe ticket sales weren`t enough and had to make a business decision,” Jim Webb, a supporter of music festivals said.
“It`s a big disappointment but I mean a lot of things in life are uncontrollable and I don`t have any hard feelings ,” Carpenter said. “I`m sure there were things that were just out of their control."
But knowing many people took off work, booked hotels and even bought plane tickets for Thunder on the Mountain, Carpenter who is originally from Ozark, still wanted people to be able to enjoy music that same weekend.
“That`s a good show of faith for the following of this event and hopefully they can have the event again next year,” Trey Hinton, local country singer said.
The first year of Thunder on the Mountain was in 2013. Rebecca Venkauskas with Pipeline Productions said the event was not scheduled last year.
People who purchased tickets to Thunder on the Mountain can expect a refund, according to their Facebook page.