Blue Plum Officials Expect Big Crowds For This Weekends Event

By Bill Christian
Anchor / Reporter / WJHL
Published: June 2, 2008

Music will fill the streets of downtown Johnson City this weekend as people celebrate the 9th annual Blue Plum Festival.
“It has become an established traditional, annual event in Johnson City that people look forward to, people plan their summer vacations around it,“ said Christine Murdock, Blue Plum Director.
Christine Murdock has served as the Blue Plum director for five years. She believes the festival is a perfect way to showcase what downtown Johnson City has to offer.
“It’s an opportunity to get people downtown, look around see what’s down here, see the stores, the retail stores, the restaurants,“ Murdock said.
In addition to the music, the Blue Plum also features arts and crafts. More than 60,000 people showed up to this popular festival in 2007. During that two day event 76 people were arrested on a total of 84 charges. Police said most of the arrests involved public drunkenness and misdemeanor drug possession. This year police want to reduce the numbers.
“We will have our presence there to make this the safest, friendliest festival possible,“ said Major Trent Harris, Johnson City Police Department.
City commissioners recently passed an ordinance to allow alcohol on certain downtown streets during the festival until 11p.m.
The Blue Plum Festival kicks off this Friday and continues through Saturday. The event runs from 11am to 11pm both days in downtown Johnson City and will feature music, food, arts and crafts and kids events. It’s free to the public.