SC school district closing for Luke Bryan concert. How students are making the day up

School officials in Edgefield County have canceled classes for one day next month ahead of anticipated heavy traffic for a Luke Bryan concert at a North Augusta farm.

Bryan will perform Oct. 5 at Misty Morning Farms in North Augusta, about 75 miles southwest of Columbia.

In announcing its decision to cancel classes that day, which is a Friday, the Edgefield County School District said the S.C. Highway Patrol and emergency management officials anticipate a “higher than normal volume of traffic” and potential road closures the day of the concert.

“The district based its decision to close schools on South Carolina Highway Patrol’s traffic management plan,” a statement from the district reads. “The concert creates the likelihood that the safe travel of students, parents, faculty and staff will be impacted throughout the school day. Safety remains Edgefield County School District’s top priority.”

To make up for the missed day, Dec. 14, which is a Friday, will now be a whole day, and the following Monday, Dec. 17, will be a half day instead of a student holiday, the district said. The school district is comprised of seven schools and a career and technology center.

Bryan’s performance in Edgefield County is his fifth in a six-city tour in which he brings his act to rural American farms.

Some Facebook commenters were incredulous at the district’s decision.

“I thought this was a hoax!!” Becky Cubbage Dukes said in response to the post.

Another Facebook user, Karen Fiery, said, “I thought I was gonna click the link and it be a joke.”

Others were critical of the decision.

“I think it is ridiculous to lose a whole weekend of travel time at Christmas to make up a half day on Monday,” Facebook user Dee Corley wrote. “They need to find another half day and make it a whole and not disrupt what is a major family holiday for most.”

“Host a concert somewhere else,” Oli Ardis wrote. “Music is not more important than education.”

The decision by Edgefield County schools follows a similar decision by Richland 1 to dismiss several Columbia schools early ahead of last month’s Beyoncé/Jay-Z concert at Williams-Brice Stadium. That move also was met with criticism.

General admission tickets for the North Augusta concert are still available and start at $51, according to Bryan’s website. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6.

This story was originally published September 23, 2018 at 1:24 PM.