Byron Pop Festival Receives Historical Recognition

 BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The 2nd Atlanta International Pop Festival in Byron was known as the “Woodstock of the South”. Now the concert is receiving historical recognition.

A historical marker was placed on Highway 41 by the Middle Georgia Speedway. The marker serves as a reminder of the great names that graced the stage and the thousands of people that flocked to the area.

Macon Realtor Tim Thornton was only 17 during the Pop Festival and says it’s an experience he will never forget.

“Byron was a town of 1,200 people and all of a sudden there were 300,000 hippies. It was almost a hippie invasion but a peaceful invasion, more a cultural invasion. It’s really significant from a cultural standpoint,” Thornton said.

The pop festival included more than 30 musical acts including Jimi Hendrix and Macon’s Allman Brother’s Band. The show was organized by concert promoter Alex Cooley and is credited with launching the Allman Brother’s Band into the national spotlight.