The structure will become the new home of the Britt Festival
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
A chance to see and learn about the historic U.S. Hotel building in Jacksonville will be offered during the Britt Festival Open House from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2.
People are invited to explore the hotel before it undergoes a significant transformation into Britt Festival’s new home.
Fundraising raffle
Britt spokesperson Mollie Smith said that during the open house people can learn about the history of the hotel and the plans for its future. And they can support the renovation efforts with a raffle that includes coveted Britt experiences and packages from Jacksonville’s merchants, wineries and restaurants.
Auction items include a four-person wine tour with EMC Black Car Service, 10 lawn seats at Britt, a guitar signed by Craig Chaquico of Jefferson Starship; a post-concert glamping getaway with a chef-prepared dinner and cocktails, hundreds of dollars in gift cards to various local businesses and more.
The open house is admission-free and no RSVP is needed. Smith said people are encouraged to dine and shop about town before and after their visit. She said participating partners will donate a percentage of daily sales back to Britt. Businesses including the Jacksonville Inn & Wine Lodge and Art Presence have opted to donate a portion of their sales from the open house day to Britt.
Small-scale performance venue
“Britt is committed to being embedded in the local community of Jacksonville and will be renovating the building to accommodate small-scale performances during the winter months, workshops, community events, and so much more,” Smith said.
She added that Britt’s “box office and administrative offices will finally be accessible right downtown. The building will also have a small merchandise and record store for those browsing shops downtown.
“While this is a large project that will involve a huge amount of fundraising and a couple of years of renovations, Britt will be providing even more activation of the downtown corridor and economy. The U.S. Hotel building has sat in the heart of downtown Jacksonville for almost 150 years and Britt is proud to give this historic landmark new life and purpose.”
The schedule for the afternoon is as follows:
- 1:30 p.m.: Architecture Q&A with Chris Brown and Jerome White, arkitek.
- 2:30 p.m.: U.S. Hotel history with Carolyn Kingsnorth.
- 3:15 pm: Unveiling Britt’s new logo.
- 4:15 pm: Architecture Q&A with Chris Brown and Jerome White, arkitek.
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at 337lee337@charter.net.
