Events raise money for Shriners Hospital for Children
After taking a year off due to COVID-19, 80s Flashback Weekend came roaring back to much fanfare in Franklin last weekend.
After “An Evening with Madonna” at Lazy Hiker featuring raffle prizes and a silent auction on Friday night, the main event kicked off on Saturday with the 80s Flashback Parade. Residents took to Main Street with their best 80s costumes and floats, celebrating the best of the decade’s music, movies, automobiles and other pop culture. It was a fun day for attendees of all ages, even young children who learn about the 80s mostly through their parents’ nostalgia.
“The parade is my favorite,” said 10-year-old Annabelle Gunter, who built a parade float with her mom full of 80s-themed toys. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Later in the day, the festivities continued with a scavenger hunt through downtown hosted by Bloom Personalized Party & Event Planning. Dozens of runners also took to the Greenway for the charity Flashback 8K run to benefit the Greenville Shriner’s Hospital for Children. Runner Richard Gamble said he was happy to put money towards the benefit of sick children, but he also frequents similar races because of the full-body fitness training that long-distance running provides.
“It’s for a great cause,” Gamble said. “It’s a way to give back to others and a way to give back to yourself.”
The weekend capped off with the Totally Awesome 80s Party at Currahee Brewing Company, where a portion of the proceeds from every beer sold also went to the Greenville Shriners Hospital for Children. Revelers had their choice of a wide selection of food from local food trucks, and they rocked out to some classic tunes from the cover band Off the Record. The band had a great time up on stage and earned some new fans, as well as pleasing long-time listeners.
“I always look forward to coming to see these guys,” Off the Record fan Patrick Bond said of the concert. “They put on a great show.”
The weekend didn’t go off without a hitch. There was an accident involving one of the cars on display after the parade. According to a report from Franklin Police Department Officer Justin Riles, the owner of a 1928 Model T allowed a woman to sit in the car and crank it. The vehicle was in reverse gear, and when she started the car, the rear tire caught the owner’s leg pulling him under the car and injuring his leg.
Florida State University football legend Peter Warrick was slated for a meet-and-greet on Saturday afternoon, but he had to cancel on short notice to attend to family matters.
Even so, event coordinators feel that the weekend was largely successful. They earned a lot of business for Franklin area vendors and raised plenty of money to benefit vulnerable children. Not only that, but they made hundreds of people happy by giving them something to celebrate. After a year and a half of dealing with COVID-19 and having to cancel last year’s festival, organizer Dave Linn said it was comforting to see everyone having fun again.
“The smiles were what I was looking forward to the most,” Linn said. “It’s good to see the smiles again.”