Lynyrd Skynyrd to perform Masters Week at Evans park

Columbia County’s annual Masters Week celebration will rock with Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The Columbia County Championship Festival will feature the guitar rock band April 12 of Masters Week at the Evans Towne Center Park, Jim Freudenberg, president and CEO of The Savor Society which produces the four-day festival, said at today’s announcement.

“Our intention is to build a festival here over the long-term, the next several years, and have it grow,” said Freudenberg. “But this year we think we’ll start out with a very good bang.”

More details about an April 11 concert benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and an April 10 family day are expected soon, Freudenberg said.

The concert is part of a four-day festival at the park including First Tee of Augusta’s annual Rock Fore! Dough concert on April 9.

“We hope that it will be a great year in 2013 for Evans Towne Center Park,” Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross said. “It is a special week in the greater Augusta area during Masters (Week). We would like to have our portion of that to take place this year and for years to come.”

Freudenberg said tickets went on sale today for a $25 early bird price available only for a couple of days. Tickets will cost $40 in advance and $55 at the door.

“There are a limited number of tickets and we do expect a sellout for that band,” Freudenberg said.

The Savor Society worked with Columbia County’s Par Tee at the Park last year and brought musical acts Little Big Town, Josh Kelley and Eric Paisley.

Freudenberg said he hopes the event marks the beginning of a long-term relationship with the county.

“I think this festival over the next two or three years will be something that will rival Super Bowl-type festivals,” Freudenberg said. “That’s what our goal is to bring content to this park that everybody will be proud to be a part of.”

More information is available at www.ColumbiaCountyChampionshipFestival.com. Tickets are available on the Web site or by calling (877) 987-6487.