Battle of Byron booms through the storm, celebrates fourth year despite rainy forecast

BYRON, Ga. — A rainy morning in Byron did not stop the Peach County community from coming together to celebrate this year’s fourth annual Battle of Byron on Saturday, May 2. 

From 11:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. Byron’s Main Street was full of children and adults browsing the vendors lining Main Street, eating at the food trucks, viewing the cars lined up for the Car Show, listening to live performances, and participating in a plethora of activities and competitions.

This year’s Battle of Byron coincides with the United States’ semi-quincentennial birthday, and according to Austin Simar, the Battle of Byron Chairman, that was taken into account when planning for this year’s festivities. 

“We leaned into this year’s theme centered around America’s 250th anniversary. Our theme this year carried a patriotic focus, our shirts reflected the theme, and even this year’s version of our mascot was designed with a patriotic look. Overall, we made a strong effort to incorporate the theme throughout the festival,” Simar said. 

Throughout the day, there were numerous games and competitions for children, teenagers, and adults to partake in. These competitions included limbo, hula-hoop, sack races, high-heel races, jump rope contests, bubble gum blowing contests, arm wrestling, trike races, hippity-hop races, a pie-eating contest, tug-o-war, and prettiest leg competitions. 

Simar couldn’t decide on an absolute favorite moment during the day, so he picked two—one as the Chairman of the Battle of Byron and one as a participant.

“If you’re asking me as the Chairman I would definitely have to say my favorite moment was after the sun came out, and everybody started showing up. Looking out on Main Street a little after lunch and seeing shoulder to shoulder traffic up and down the road to the point it made it difficult to get carts on the road, which showed that all of our hard work paid off is probably my favorite moment,” Simar said. “But if you’re asking me as a participant and festival goer, I would definitely have to say the trike races. I mean, after all I did come in first place one time and second place the other time despite the trike having a wonky handle bar so I’d have to say I really enjoyed the tricycle races as my favorite moment of the day.” 

Alongside the many activities, multiple bands and artists provided live music, including The Varden, Magician Evan Dupree, The Backseat Hooligans, The Veal, and more.

Simar stated that he was overjoyed with the turnout, despite having been concerned with the rainy forecast earlier that morning.

“We had a great turnout, especially considering the weather forecast leading up to the event. For nearly two weeks, every forecast on every weather app and every news station called for a 100% chance of rain, and as the festival got closer, conditions only appeared to get worse. That understandably impacted our attendance, as well as vendor and entertainment participation,” Simar said. “That being said, the day turned out to be absolutely beautiful. The sun shined bright and I was so very thankful. While a slightly drier start to the morning would have been ideal—but beggars can’t be choosers—overall I couldn’t be happier with how the weather played out. All things considered, despite the challenges posed by the forecast and despite all the challenges we faced in general throughout the planning process, we still saw a great turnout, and I’m very happy with the outcome.”

Simar explained that the Battle of Byron has great significance in the Peach County community, both socially and economically.

“Our festival plays a vital role in Peach County for several reasons. First and foremost, it brings families, friends, and the entire community together for a day of free, family friendly fun and friendly competition creating memories that I believe will last forever. Beyond that, the economic impact is significant. Visitors and some vendors from surrounding areas pour into our local economy by buying gas, grabbing food, shopping, and staying in hotels. A handful of our vendors are based right here in Peach County, so supporting them means directly reinvesting in our community. Equally important is how we give back. Through our “BoB Gives Back” program, a portion of our annual revenue is donated to local nonprofits and organizations, and we try to host events that directly and indirectly support our community year round. But overall I would have to say the festival is important not only for the joy and unity it brings as an event, but also for the lasting economic and community impact it has as an organization,” Simar said. 

Simar further explained that festivals like the Battle of Byron are important to local communities as they become a part of the community’s identity over time. 

Festivals like ours are important to local communities, especially smaller communities, for several reasons. Every community needs a staple, something recognizable that it becomes known for. Sometimes that’s food, a landmark, a festival, or all of those things. Over time, these staples become part of a community’s identity and are passed down through generations,” Simar said. “Just as important, festivals bring people together. They create opportunities for neighbors, families, and friends to connect, support small businesses, and truly experience what it means to be part of a community.”

Simar wanted to take a moment to thank everyone involved in helping make the Battle of Byron a success.

“There’s no better thing to say and nothing more important I can say than simply just thank you! Thank you for showing up! Thank you for showing out! Thank you for your love! Thank you for your support! This goes for everyone from the city and county government to the local businesses to the citizens. It is because of you that this is possible. To put it simply, without you supporting the festival and attending the festival we would not have the festival. It is because of you that this is possible and I always have been and always will be very thankful for this community!” Simar said.

Simar took a moment to thank the Battle of Byron board members, staff, committee members, and volunteers for their time, hard work, and dedication to making the Battle of Byron happen. 

“I want to make it clear, as I do every year, that the credit does not go to me. It belongs to my incredible team. I’ve had the privilege of surrounding myself with some of the very best, and they continue to prove just how dedicated, passionate, and hardworking they are. Without my board members, staff, committee members, and volunteers, what you saw on Saturday simply would not have been anywhere near possible. From the earliest stages of planning to the final moments of execution, every detail was handled with care. Their late nights, early mornings, and countless hours of behind the scenes work are what brought this event to life. Many of these people balanced full time jobs, family, and other commitments, yet they still showed up and gave their all to make this festival a success for the people of Byron, Peach County, and all of Middle Georgia. This event was produced by a group of people who genuinely care about this community and its people, and about preserving something meaningful for generations to come. They have sacrificed time with their own families and friends to give back in such a powerful way, and that kind of dedication should not go unnoticed. So truly, all the credit goes to them. I cannot thank them enough for their hard work, and their commitment. Each and every member of this team played a huge role, and without them, none of this would have been possible. So once again I want to give a huge thank you to them!” Simar said.

For more information on the Battle of Byron and next year’s upcoming Battle, check their website at https://www.battleofbyron.com.