As the Opp Chamber of Commerce gears up for its final Downtown Get Down, director Kelly Brandin said this summer has been a learning experience.

“Since this was our inaugural event, it has been a learning experience for us,” Brandin said. “But, we feel they have been very successful. Not only for our community residents, but for our downtown retailers, as well.”

The previous Downtown Get Down was moved to the Opp Depot because of weather, but Brandin said it didn’t stop them from having a good time.

“It started to rain a little bit, so the board president and president-elect came to me and we had a roundtable discussion on what we should do,” Brandin said. “We made an executive decision to move it inside the Depot. We already had that contingency plan in place if it did rain. Considering the weather, and the fact that we had to move it, I do feel like it was a success. Three Notch Road, the band, was very flexible with us, having to rearrange and move their equipment. Ann Cauley, the owner of Opp’s Hardees, was also very flexible. She provided free food to all of the people that came to the depot and we greatly appreciate that.”

Aug. 16 is the last scheduled Downtown Get Down and Brandin said they are very excited for the entertainment.

“We are super excited about having Shane Owens,” Brandin said. “He is with Amerimote Records, has sung at the Grand Ole Opry several times and is a Samson native. He will be singing some of his originals and some classic old country.”

The final event will also showcase a car show.

“Those cars would not be lined up by Main Street though,” Brandin said. “They will either be lined up on East and West Covington or East and West Park.”

Looking forward, Brandin hopes to enlarge the event.

“We may consider making it more than one city block,” Brandin said. “We also want to have more vendors. Our ultimate dream is to have more than one location for bands to play downtown. For example, we would have a country band playing at Danley Plaza, a blues band playing behind the depot and having a D.J., in another spot. That would be our ultimate goal, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we are going to implement it next year. We hope to just keep growing in the coming years because this event benefits the community as well as the businesses downtown.”

The event is scheduled for Fri., Aug. 16, from 6:30 p.m., until 8:30 p.m.