John Ernst, Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival
City of Brookhaven, one of metro Atlanta’s most vibrant and diverse communities, has seen great growth in recent years. Since becoming a municipality in 2012, it has made incredible strides in many areas, from public safety to infrastructure. A major win that continues for Brookhaven is its community engagement, especially its annual Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival, which returns March 23-24. This music-heavy event draws approximately 45,000 guests, and this year’s line-up includes popular ’90s-era alternative rock acts Live, Barenaked Ladies, Sister Hazel, Lisa Loeb, and Crash Test Dummies. Former Brookhaven mayor John Ernst remains heavily involved with the event, and he joins us this week to talk about the festival’s economic impact, how the city is able to offer a free music festival to the public, the importance of community engagement, and much more.
