The City of Cedartown in 2021 will be able to have a stage no matter where they decide to hold an event thanks to help from the state to make a much-needed purchase that will also benefit the Cedartown Performing Arts Center.

The Explore Georgia Tourism Product Development office awarded the City of Cedartown $7,000 of the more than $9,000 they sought in a grant application for a new portable stage and lighting equipment that will be purchased in the coming months once they receive the funding from the state.

City Manager Bill Fann gave the credit to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s Aimee Madden and Oscar Guzman for their work on the grant application and putting together multiple uses for the portable staging.

“We’re fortunate to have good people who try to find ways to save our taxpayers money yet purchase something that will be put to good use,” City Manager Bill Fann said. “We really needed that portable stage and Oscar (Guzman) needed the additional lighting at the auditorium.”

Fann said the city is expected to have it by the beginning of 2021.

The city sought more than $9,000 for the portable stage to be used at events like Spooky Spokes, Market on Main and the Holloway Hunny Pot Festival, and because the model they are looking at is all-terrain, it provides the ability to setup just about anywhere. Additionally, a truss and lighting that can be used portably and within the Cedartown Performing Arts Center for shows are also part of the purchase plans.

Overall, the City of Cedartown will spend around $12,000 for the additional equipment after the grant is used up, with a grand total of just shy of $19,000 for the stage, truss, lighting and and electronics needed to put on a good show indoors or out.

The city’s hope is that with the new portable stage, it will lend opportunity to expand the size of bands that can perform, provide staging for dance troupes at events, and much more. The staging and truss is even being considered for use as a winter wonderland backdrop for photos with Santa Claus during the holidays.

Of the items that is much needed being purchased partially through grant funding is the truss, which can also be utilized at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center for hanging lighting, set pieces and backdrops for concerts and theatrical performances.

The timeline in the grant application calls for the stage and other equipment to be delivered by February 2021.

In the announcement, the state’s Explore Georgia Tourism Product Development office announced that $75,000 was awarded to communities in their first phase of the grant. Among other area locales that received funding was in Cave Spring, who won funds for the Fairview School project and for the City of Dallas, seeking funds for their Historic District and Trail Signage. The office reported that $265,600 in funds was sought from 29 different grant requests.