3-day festival helps Coneburg rise from the ashes
Staff writer
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday people listened to music, danced, and had food and drinks to help Peabody’s iconic Coneburg Inn come back.
Coneburg Inn looked to be a goner last December when it was gutted by a fire.
People set to work, helped rebuild, and donated labor, money, and supplies, but even with insurance, it still wasn’t enough to cover costs.
“The insurance was barely enough to cover construction,” owner Lindsey Marshall said.
Marshall originally hoped to reopen the Coneburg by the middle of summer, but it wasn’t ready.
The Coneburg has a clean, fresh, but uncompleted appearance inside. A food truck north of the building serves a limited menu.
Marshall plans to double the size of the original kitchen and make other improvements, like addition of a dishwasher.
A drop ceiling was eliminated. The old ceiling permitted toxic smoke and extreme heat to overtake the Coneburg during the fire.
The kitchen interior is taking on a more industrial appearance.
Original character touches will remain, though.
“We’re going to take it back to the ‘dive bar’ feel,” Marshall said. “We’re going to take it back to the same Coneburg people know and love.”
She said the Coneburg would have a “much brighter” feel to it.
The festival sought to raise enough money to finish the kitchen and add tables, dishware, a dishwasher, and basic things that will make the kitchen functional.
Admission and money spent by the 200 or so who attended will be enough to make the kitchen functional again, Marshall said Monday.
The bar will be rebuilt, and a few other touchups will be done throughout the interior.
The electrical system needs to be improved, and the heating and air conditioning system needs to be redone.
The idea of a festival wasn’t hard to come up with.
“My friends and I are all festival-goers, and for years my sister and I have thought it would be fun to put on a bluegrass festival,” Marshall said. “For years, we thought about doing a fishing tournament. We just thought it would be fun to put on a festival in our hometown.”
All bands donated their time, talent, and artistry for the cause. So did vendors and staff.
Marshall said Stephanie and Ben Hatcher were especially helpful in planning and carrying out the festival.
Marshall hoped for a positive outcome but said that people coming together also would be good for everyone.