May 23, 2022
By:
Smithville’s Harvester Performance and Event Center Officially Debuts with Concert Featuring the Upper Cumberland’s The Smoky Nights.
Efforts to revitalize Downtown Smithville got a boost of positive vibes this past weekend (Friday, May 20) when the Harvester Performance and Event Center officially opened to the public.
Over the past few years owner Bert Driver invested in transforming the former tractor dealership and bank operations center on West Main St. into a sleekly modern multi-purpose facility for hosting weddings, corporate and family gatherings, and live entertainment.
Friday night the Harvester debuted as a music venue, giving the brimming crowd the kind of intimate club experience found in Nashville. The concert featured the music of Cookeville’s The Smoky Nights, as band members demonstrated their versatile talents on guitar, bass, drums, electric mandolin, and fiddle, in performances of original songs and familiar favorites.
“Music is like oxygen, always a source of joy,” says Driver. “For years we’ve showcased some of this area’s best musicians in outdoor concerts at The Burlap Room,” on the grounds of his nursery outside Smithville. “Now with The Harvester, we’re able to bring the live music indoors as well, for a completely different kind of experience.”
Key to that is the renovated building and its stylish mix of mid-century architecture and modern flourishes. Versatile floor designs, a lofty steel beam ceiling, natural skylights, vintage chandeliers, modern glass roll-up doors and expansive walnut bar all contribute to its welcoming atmosphere.
Friday’s launch was culmination of a team effort, from Driver’s vision for a Downtown center to the craftsmen who transformed the space, sound engineers and performers, artists and food vendors, and a responsive staff.
“We are blessed in the Upper Cumberland with an abundance of talent,” says Driver. “I am proud of our community, and our culture that embraces Center Hill Lake, the slower pace of life, and the overall outdoor lifestyle that reminds us how good it is here in Middle Tennessee.”
In addition to offering concerts and performances to the public, the Harvester is now booking private events – weddings, corporate events, quinceañeras, and more. Tickets for the Harvester Event Center (and Bert Driver’s Burlap Room) are available at burlaproom.eventbrite.com. For more information about the Harvester Event Center visit www.harvestertn.com, or follow us on Facebook: @harvestertn, Instagram: @harvestertn, and TikTok: @harvestertn.