The pandemic may have canceled the big, in-person festival this year, but cozy up! Celebrating Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion livestreams kick off tonight with online, live concert events that include Jim Lauderdale, Acoustic Syndicate, Amythyst Kiah, Morgan Wade, and Martha Spencer, a WBCM Radio Bristol Farm and Fun Time show, flashback performances from festivals past, and the Bristol Sessions Super Raffle drawing.

"We're celebrating Bristol Rhythm all weekend online, and we hope to see all our fans joining the conversation on Facebook Live," said Leah Ross, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), parent nonprofit of the festival, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, and WBCM Radio Bristol. "As a special treat, on Friday and Saturday night during our livestream we will announce more acts participating in the festival in 2021!"

Keeping in festival fashion, businesses in Downtown Bristol are supporting their favorite event by giving back a percentage of their profits from Friday and Saturday to help their neighbors at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and Believe in Bristol get through this difficult time.

"This is very humbling and we are so grateful," added Ross. "Our Downtown Bristol businesses are hurting too, so for them to come together to do this for us is such and incredible gift."

Bristol Rhythm draws an estimated 40,000 visitors to Downtown and generates $16 million in economic stimulus to the region. The cancellation of this year's event will have a major impact on the region.