Hickory – The City of Hickory’s Sails Original Music Series, presented by Protection Products, Inc., will feature Florencia & the Feeling this week. The performance starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 8, at Union Square in downtown Hickory.

Florencia & the Feeling is a pop‑funk powerhouse from Johnson City, Tennessee, known for high‑energy shows filled with joy, groove, and magnetic connection. Since forming in 2021, the band has toured widely across the eastern U.S., earning top honors at the 2025 FloydFest On‑The‑Rise Competition and the 2024 MerleFest Band Competition, and appearing at festivals including Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, and Rooster Walk.

Sails Music Coordinator Bob Sinclair describes Florencia & the Feeling as “a Tennessee funk and R&B outfit that brings impossible amounts of cool to the stage.”

Blending upbeat funky rhythms, heartfelt songwriting, soaring four-part harmonies, and a touch of jazz and Latin flair, Florencia & the Feeling create a sound uniquely their own. Fronted by Florencia Rusinol (lead vocals) alongside Andrew Kramer (guitar), Isaac Ratliff (keys), Nick Castro (bass), Austin Herron (drums), and newly added horn players Nathan Hargis (trombone) & Alexi Leo (trumpet), the band draws from funk, jazz, Nu Soul, jam, pop, indie rock, and roots influences. Radio Bristol praised their “tight rhythmic jams and groovy guitar riffs,” while Glide Magazine called them “deeply infectious & brimming with energy.”

Started in 2012, the City of Hickory’s Sails Original Music Series showcases well-crafted, live music by bringing original music artists to The Sails on the Square. Original music is defined as music that is written or composed by the artist who performs it.

The Sails Original Music Series, a Bob Sinclair Music production, offers excellent musical entertainment from national and international touring acts with the help of numerous sponsors. Thanks to presenting sponsor Protection Products, Inc. and additional supporting sponsors Larry’s Music & Sound, Pfahlert Creative Labs, Olde Hickory Brewery, and Crowne Plaza for contributing to the series.

In addition to the seating available at Union Square, audience members are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. A variety of bars and restaurants are close by and offer food and beverage choices.

ABC permitted businesses within the Hickory Downtown Social District will sell beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages in specially marked cups that may be consumed on Union Square, sidewalks, and other public areas within the designated boundaries of the social district. No outside alcohol may be brought into the social district. To review additional restrictions and a detailed map of the social district’s coverage area, visit www.hickorync.gov/downtown-social-district.

For more information about the Sails Original Music Series and upcoming bands, please visit www.hickorync.gov/SailsMusic and follow the Sails Original Music Series Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SailsMusic.