In late-2022/early-2023, friends Michael Edwards and Matt Toole imagined creating something positive that brought the music and visual arts communities together. Edwards, an attorney, had a background in band management. Toole, an acclaimed sculptor and former professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design and Georgia Southern University, had performed with the band Donna Savage .
From that initial conversation, the 912 Group was born with a goal to “facilitate a dynamic and nurturing environment for artists and musicians to flourish.” But the mission grew deeper, explained Toole, as their ideas around an outdoor concert took shape: They wanted their efforts to “support initiatives for the betterment of our society.”
Toole’s art studio sits on the Old Roberds Dairy Farm , located at the end of Tennessee Avenue in Savannah’s Avondale neighborhood. His neighbors include Savannah Victory Gardens landscaping, the Pegasus Riding Academy , and 165 acres of forested uplands and marsh overlooking the Wilmington River. A clearing next to his studio became the site of last year’s first Dairy Daze Fall Music Fest, a one-day music and food truck event presented by the 912 Group. Pegasus Riding Academy was the beneficiary of the events proceeds.