Westminster Music Centre Opens Doors for Soft Opening Amid Downtown Revitalization
The Westminster Music Centre, located at 216 E. Main St. in Westminster, South Carolina, celebrated a soft opening today, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., after nearly seven years of renovation. The venue’s stage has been freshly painted and acoustic panels installed, and the first live performances are scheduled for the afternoon.
Executive director BJ Call Callahan told the local paper that the opening will feature two local acts. High‑school acoustic duo Figuring It Out will perform from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by the band Jagged Road from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call Callahan noted that all performers are part of the centre’s network; two members of Jagged Road serve on the board, and one member of Figuring It Out is a Call Callahan music student.
The event is being run as an open‑house. Call Callahan said the centre is taking advantage of the Apple Festival, which is drawing visitors to downtown, to showcase the new space. He added that the centre will remain open for the duration of the festival, with signage and balloons directing traffic to the venue. Portions of Main Street are closed for the downtown streetscape project, and the Apple Festival’s core location has been moved farther down the street.
The centre’s grand opening is planned for later this fall, with Call Callahan citing October 17 as a possible date to coincide with the last Music on Main concert of the season. While the soft opening will include acoustics and lighting, additional work remains before the full debut. Call Callahan said the centre will add a concession stand, a merchandise area, and a small retail storefront for instruments such as guitar strings. He also mentioned plans for classes, lessons, and jam sessions.
Westminster Music Centre operated a downtown venue from 2016 to 2019 before relocating to a temporary holding space and then to the current address. Call Callahan explained that the centre has focused on the Music on Main series to keep the community engaged while securing funding and completing the new space. He said the downtown streetscape project provided a timeline that energized the board and staff. The centre is a 501(c)(3) non‑profit whose mission is to promote the joy of live music in Westminster and beyond.
The soft opening demonstrates the centre’s progress toward its goal of becoming a hub for local musicians and visitors. The venue’s reopening aligns with the city’s broader downtown revitalization efforts, and the centre’s plans for retail and educational programming aim to sustain community involvement beyond the festival season.
The current situation is that Westminster Music Centre is open for the remainder of the Apple Festival, with live music scheduled for the afternoon and evening. The centre will continue to work on remaining construction and programming in preparation for its full opening in October.
