A forecast of rain has caused the postponement of a new music festival that was scheduled to be held next week, organizers said.
The Fulcrum will now take place in September, the group said Tuesday in a news release. The event was initially planned for March 16 and 17.
The venue, a 40-acre section of Davis Ranch in Cabot off Arkansas 107 about 10 miles north of Little Rock Air Force Base, will stay the same, according to organizers. But Daniel Davis, one of the venue's managers, said Fulcrum organizers didn't call until Wednesday afternoon, after he had found out about the change from a post on the event's Facebook page.
He said he's open to leasing the property for the Fulcrum in September if there is an available weekend.
"It's fine with us," he said. "We haven't been harmed."
The event's announcement said that "the safety of our guests, performers and crew is our primary concern," pointing to February's record rainfall and more rain predicted the week of the festival.
Davis said the venue generally dries up quickly from rain because of the wind and its higher elevation, though an off-roading event held there last weekend got "a little bit sloppy."
Fulcrum ticket holders can fill out a form on the festival's website to request a refund.
Two of the headliners, Stephen Marley and PJ Morton, have agreed to perform in September, organizers said, though the release noted the exact date has not been set. The announcement did not mention a previously announced third headliner, Nashville country group Love and Theft.
The other artists scheduled to perform, who were announced in December, have been notified and will be given the opportunity to play the rescheduled event, the release said.
One of those artists -- Barrett Baber, a country singer and former contestant on NBC's The Voice -- pulled out of the festival in January, his spokesman said. Everton Blender, a roots-reggae artist from Jamaica, was added to the list of performers last month.
Most of the lineup, which includes country, hip-hop, rock and gospel artists, has Arkansas roots. The Fulcrum was first billed as a "fan-driven" festival that would select its acts from a public poll on its website, with Kelly Clarkson, The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, Migos, SZA, Jessie J and Lil Uzi Vert listed as options.
Davis Ranch is the fourth venue the festival has announced since November, after negotiations with three Little Rock locations fell through. The event previously advertised War Memorial Stadium, the amphitheater at Riverfront Park and the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center as venues.
State Desk on 03/08/2018