FESTIVAL | Sweet sauciness

If you love barbecue and good music, the Old Capitol Blues & BBQs festival is for you. With a host of scrumptious sauce-covered meats to taste, you can also vote for your favorite to determine barbecue competition winners. The music rocks with a host of musicians and headliners James Armstrong on Friday at 10 p.m. and John Saint Holiday and Elliot Sowell on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. The Illinois Central Blues Club Challenge starts Saturday at noon. Kids’ activities run from 2-6 p.m. on Old State Capitol Plaza South and include face painting, karaoke, Elvis Himselvis, magic by Jim Percy, a juggler and clown. Admission gates are at the east corners of the square and on Washington at Fourth and Sixth. Downtown Springfield, Inc.’s website has more details, www.downtownspringfield.org.