AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) — Juneteenth and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, both looking for city money, and raising concerns.

“We can chew bubblegum and walk and at the same time, I think this conversation about opening Pandora’s Box is a deflection, it’s just something we’re talking about for whatever reason,” said Commissioner Jordan Johnson.

Commissioners are talking support for Band of Brothers and the Juneteenth celebration, approving $20,000 for the group to hold the event downtown.

“It just means we’re going to put on a great festival as usual, it’s getting bigger and better and it’s still going to remain free to the community, as long as we’re in charge of it,” said Johnny Gregory III, President of Band of Brothers.

Last year, commissioners voted to put Band of Brothers in charge and agreed to provide the Augusta Common and stage for free and to waive cleanup fees, the city did not provide $20,000 in funding. 

“We did the right thing, we feel confident they’re going to put on a first-class event, we’re going to make sure we support it fully, last year we did not, I feel like we supported it where we should have support it, we support other festivals as well in this community,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

After approving funding for Juneteenth and $3,500 for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, commissioners are expecting to hear from other groups, so they now want to establish a future festival funding policy.

“It’s not going to be an open door to where it’s unlimited funding, can’t be like that, we’re going to have to have some parameters in place in terms of how we deal with it,” said Commissioner Alvin Mason.

But for these two downtown events, they asked, and they received.