The inaugural South Star Festival, set for Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 at the John Hunt Park Festival Grounds, is expected to draw crowds of thousands of people.
Gwen Stefani, Blink-182 and Beck are some of the artists headlining the event. Gates open both days at 1:00 p.m. and the music will end at 11:00 p.m.
With the incoming and outgoing festival traffic, the Huntsville Police Department (HPD) asks drivers to avoid the area unless they are attending the event.
Several departments within the City of Huntsville have been collaborating closely to ensure the event runs smoothly for attendees, residents and business owners.
Leading up to the event, the city made infrastructure improvements to the Festival Grounds, though some were already scheduled as part of the park’s master plan. Some improvements included more pedestrian walking paths as well as new sod.
South Star Festival Safety & Security
Huntsville Police and Huntsville Fire & Rescue will have personnel on duty throughout the weekend to assist attendees outside the festival grounds. Inside the festival, C3 Presents will leverage private security with support from HPD officers.
“We will have an adequate number of off-duty and on-duty personnel inside the site as well as the surrounding area,” HPD Chief Kirk Giles said. “We want to make sure everyone acts responsibly inside the site.”
South Star Festival Driving & Parking
Festival organizers have designated a single entrance for attendees, located near the roundabout at Philip Dotts Drive and Jaycee Way, adjacent to Joe Davis Stadium.
Between 20,000 and 25,000 people will be attending the first-year festival, so Huntsville Police urge patience.
Public Transit & Ride-Share
Three Orbit bus routes will service the event, with the closest stop located at Hardees/Academy Sports on the Brahan Spring Route. This bus stop is about one mile from the festival and operates every 30 minutes.
After the festival concludes each night, the service will run for an additional hour. A one-way fare on the Orbit bus is $1.
Designated ride-share space at Joe Davis Stadium will be clearly marked for attendees who would rather not drive.
Cleaning Up After the Festival
Large-scale events with thousands of attendees are bound to create some litter, but the City’s Green Team is on it to keep Huntsville looking great. C3 will take care of the litter pickup inside the Festival Grounds, while the Green Team will handle the areas outside.
Landscape Management Director Brian Walker said extra trash bins will be set up in city-owned parking lots, and staff will work extra shifts for better coverage. He encourages everyone attending the festival to leave the park as clean, or even cleaner, than they found it.
“We’re excited for a fantastic event at John Hunt Park and remind everyone to help out by cleaning up after themselves,” he said. “Just putting trash in the bins makes a big difference for our environment and keeps our community looking its best.”
Visit the South Star Festival website for more information about the event, including a welcome guide and frequently asked questions.
