Eddie Owen Named Duluth Fall Festival Parade Grand Marshal

Legendary music promoter and “Live Music Matters” advocate Eddie Owen will be the grand marshal at the Duluth Fall Festival Parade. Kathryn Willis, chairman of the 2012 festival, announced that Owen had been selected for the honor at the 30th anniversary festival.

The announcement was made at a meeting of the Duluth Fall Festival Committee Thursday (Aug. 30) in the Community Room at Duluth City Hall. This was the next to last committee meeting prior to the festival opening.

The 30th Anniversary Duluth Fall Festival occurs Sept. 29 and 30 on the The festival, which is put on entirely by volunteers, attracts an estimated 100,000 visitors to downtown Duluth each fall. The parade kicks off the festival at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“I’m honored that I get to be a part of it,” said Owen.

Owen, founder and former general manager of Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, was so impressed during an initial visit to Duluth that he launched “Eddie Owen Presents” and started presenting singer-songwriter concerts at the Red Clay Theatre in downtown Duluth last December. Since then Owen has been regularly staging live weekend and occasional midweek concerts in the 250-plus-seat Duluth venue. He recently inititated Open Mic Night on Mondays.

Owen and Eddie’s Attic have been credited with launching the careers of Sugarland, John Mayer, the Zac Brown Band and others.

To show its support of Owen's efforts and the downtown Duluth music venue, the Duluth Fall Festival Executive Committee is contributing $25,000 in festival proceeds toward much-needed improvements to the Red Clay Theatre. The Duluth Downtown Development Authority will administer the funds.

The city owns the Red Clay Theatre. Owen books acts and manages the theatre under a contract with the DDA.