As GMC’s Vice President of Cultural Resources and the founder of Wiregrass Archaeology, Justin Stickler has spent years building connections throughout South Alabama. Outside of work, music has been another way he’s done that – playing, recording with friends and finding ways to bring people together around it.
Where it all began
Four years ago, Justin and several friends had just wrapped up an opening show for the Chatham Rabbits when they returned to Justin’s farmhouse. As they talked about the different music events they had played over the years, someone suggested a simple idea: They should put on a festival of their own.
The following year, that idea became a reality, and the Mayhaw Music Festival was born. What started as a conversation among a group of friends has since become an annual afternoon of bluegrass music, food and community in Cottonwood, Alabama.
A festival built by its community
Today, the festival brings together local families, businesses, students, volunteers and touring musicians for a day that feels less like a traditional music festival and more like a big backyard gathering.
The first year, Justin said, they were still figuring things out.
“That first year we didn’t know what we were doing, and we kind of still don’t, but we’re learning!” he said.
What they did have was a community willing to help.
The first festival drew support from around 15 local businesses that sponsored the event. Friends donated campers for musicians to stay in, while volunteers helped with everything from parking and putting up signs, to getting the property ready.
Built on connections
Over time, the festival has continued to grow through those relationships.
Last year, a 5K was added to the morning of the event. Two local schools co-hosted the race, bringing high school runners to the property before the music began. This year, around 80 high school students are expected to participate, along with an open 5K for anyone who wants to join. Runners also receive free admission to the festival.
Those connections extend beyond friends and neighbors. Clients and former business relationships have supported the event, too.
“It’s a connection to business relationships that you have,” Justin said.
Some of those relationships began through Justin’s work with Wiregrass Archaeology, which joined forces with GMC earlier in the year. Former clients have become festival sponsors, including a vacation rental company from Gulf Shores that is returning for the second year and plans to camp at the festival for the weekend.
The moments you can’t plan
When you’re building an event from the ground up, not everything goes according to plan. But sometimes, those unexpected moments become the ones people remember most.
At last year’s festival, sound issues made it difficult for headlining bluegrass musician Junior Sisk to hear during his set. Instead of stopping, he brought his band down into the crowd and finished the set acoustically for the nearly 50 people who remained at the end of the night.
“He turned a probably frustrating moment for him when the sound wasn’t working right, to a really beautiful moment where he’s playing in an intimate environment amongst everyone. Everyone who stuck around for that enjoyed a very special experience,” Justin said.
To Justin, moments like that capture what the festival is really about. It’s about the music, but it’s also about the experience – people coming together, spending time outdoors and making memories that happen naturally.
“Just seeing adults hanging out while kids are running around like crazy, having fun outdoors while music’s going on, is my favorite scene,” he said.
It’s a simple combination, but one he believes people don’t always get enough of.
A tradition in the making
The festival is expected to attract around 200 people this year, with about 90% of attendees coming from the surrounding area and a handful traveling in for the weekend.
Justin hopes it will continue to grow, eventually becoming a full-weekend festival where people can camp, spend more time outdoors and make a weekend of it.
“I hope it grows, but it’s what I hoped it would be initially,” he said.
The Mayhaw Music Festival has become more than a gathering around music – it’s a place for friends, families and neighbors to spend time together, enjoy the outdoors and simply slow down. The music sets the stage, but it’s the people who have made the festival a success.
A group effort
This year, GMC is proud to sponsor the Mayhaw Music Festival and support an event that brings the local community together. GMC team members from across the company will also be attending and can enjoy the festival at no cost.
The festival will take place on Saturday, October 3, from 12:30 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Mayhaw Music Festival website.