Old Capitol Blues & BBQs
August 23-24, Friday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Savory and sizzling barbecue tops the weekend menu while hard-driving, toe-tapping blues music rocks the stage at the Old Capitol Blues and BBQs the last full weekend of August, Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24. Located at Fifth and Washington streets in downtown Springfield, this will be a yummy and entertaining end-of-summer party.
Featuring more than 40 BBQ competitors and vendors, you’ll be able to sample the bestof-the-best in barbecue made in the Midwest.
Be sure to vote for your favorites. Two award categories return, Most Festive Booth and BBQ Hospitality.
Local and national blues talent is featured alongside the barbeque fest. The Illinois Central Blues Club Challenge begins at noon Saturday. The winner of the band challenge receives $1,000 in travel money to represent the ICBC at the Blues Foundation’s 30th annual International Blues Challenge, scheduled to take place next year in Memphis, Tenn.
A separate competition for a solo/duo act takes place on the same day. The winner of the solo/duo contest receives $500 in travel monies. These acts will have at least one member who belongs to the Illinois Central Blues Club.
Headliners for Friday’s music include Tombstone Bullet at 6 p.m., Black Magic Johnson at 8 p.m. and James Armstrong at 10 p.m. Saturday’s lineup is Murder of Crows at 4 p.m., Shakedown 66 at 5 p.m., Brooke Thomas and the Blue Suns at 6 p.m., Backpack Jones at 7:30 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m. from Memphis, Tenn., Delta Crush with Plantation All Stars Band.
Admission to listen to the blues is $5.
Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Free entertainment for your kids is presented on Aug. 24 from 1-6 p.m. Food and beverage tickets are $1.
Special downtown hotel overnight packages are offered for Old Capitol Blues & BBQs. They include admission and food/beverage tickets with your hotel room booking. Walk to and from the festival. For more information about this or the festival, visit DSI online or phone 217-544-1723.
