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'Where the Allman Brothers lived and loved:' GABBAfest ready to kick off annual festival

For years, GABBAfest has drawn people from all over the world to Macon

For years, GABBAfest has been a festival that draws people from all over the world to Macon.

On Friday, the Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association will officially kick off their annual festival, which serves as their yearly fundraiser.

The festival includes a wide variety of events, including concerts, art exhibits and jam sessions.

While the concerts at the Douglass Theatre on Friday and Saturday nights are sold out, that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy GABBAfest.

There will be free events open to the public at the Big House Museum from Saturday to Sunday, including the Members Jam on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You have to be a member to participate, but it's free for everyone to watch.

Laraine Potter, president of GABBA, says 70 to 90 musicians will take the stage and spontaneously play music with one another.

"It's something unique to GABBA, it's really very cool," Potter said.

Potter has been with the organization since 2009, but Surelle Pinkston, treasurer of GABBA, has been there since the beginning in 1992.

Pinkston says the festival has grown a lot since then.

"It was a little more low-key back then, but we still had people that were eager to come to Macon," Pinkston said. "And now, it's that time of year that brothers and sisters come from around the globe to walk on sacred ground, where the Allman Brothers lived and loved."

Potter says it takes GABBA's 21 board members and a lot of volunteers to put the event together. It's a year-long endeavor.

But Pinkston says the hard work pays off.

"When I get here and start seeing the people, that's your payback," Pinkston said. "Cause they are so happy to be here."

Potter says GABBAfest sees about 400 to 500 people year, from all over the world.

"Everybody has a common denominator, they love the same music, they make life-long friends, so they want to come back year after year," Potter said. "We have a couple from Finland who come every single year from Finland."

Potter says people from Japan, England and Canada also come to experience the festival.

Pinkston said the attendees are like a little community.

"Seeing everybody smiling and talking and hugging. If you don't like to be hugged, don't come to GABBAfest. You're going to get hugged" Pinkston said.

In 2016, Potter says the festival sold out on the Saturday date, which was the first sell-out the festival had. In 2017, the entire weekend sold out, but not until the day before.

This year, Potter says the concerts at the Douglass sold out in mid-August -- about a month out from the event.

Potter says seeing the event come to life is very rewarding.

"I work very hard at this for weeks and weeks on end, but when I get here I don't think about to work, it's just seeing people have a good time, and they appreciate everything that we have done," Potter said. "They're good about telling you, 'oh, I appreciate everything that you've done.' It makes you feel really good."

Dickey Betts, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, had an accident Monday at his home in Sarasota, Florida.

RELATED: Dickey Betts in critical condition after accident at home

Betts is one of the two remaining founders of the band.

Potter says they're praying he improves.

"We were very, very sad to hear about that, all of our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and the children and we're all hoping for the best," Potter said, "We haven't heard anything other than what's on the news."

For more information about the festival, visit the Facebook event page.

For more information about GABBA, visit their website or find them on Facebook.

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