Performers set the stage at Twilight
- Izzy De La Sierra
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
Musicians and athletes alike are tuning up their instruments and bikes as preparations begin for the 46th annual Athens Twilight festival. Fawney Rig, an Irish folk band, is prepping for their set at 5 p.m. at the intersection of East Washington and College.
Fawney Rig will be the first of six performances on the mainstage tonight. There will be performances from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Miki Lu, the accordionist for Fawney Rig, said she’s excited to feel the energy on a Friday night.
Lu isn’t just a local musician. She’s an Athens resident who’s attending her fifth Athens Twilight festival this year. She usually watches the festivities from outside the Condor Chocolate’s building.
“I’ll be playing and then quickly loading up our instruments and bringing all our instruments home and biking back down here just to kinda be part of that biking culture,” Lu said.
Lu has previously been involved in the races, formerly participating in the “Gambler,” a race where bikers receive a playing card at frequent stops. Whoever has the best deck at the finish line wins.
The advice she’d give to a first-time Twilight attendee? “Come on down here and hang out with people…It’s just a fun way to meet people because you can just stand around and talk,” Lu said.
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Why I wrote the Story:
I wrote this story as live event coverage for the 2026 Athens Twilight Criterium. This is a 2-day festival in Athens, GA, that brings athletes and attendee's from far and wide. As a journalism student at the University of Georgia, covering large events in the city is important for gaining skills.
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