Hanford Street and Michelob Ultra will host the 21st annual Blues and Roots Festival under the stars on Saturday, September 17th from 5:30pm to 10pm Civic Park.
The community is invited to one of the only free blues festivals in the country, featuring live music, beer and wine gardens, and delicious food vendors.
Headlining this year will be the highly decorated blues artist, ally venable. The 23-year-old Texas powerhouse has become one of this generation’s blues rock guitar superstars. Venable was named 2014 and 2015 Female Blues Guitarist of the Year at the East Texas (EXT) Music Awards. Venable and her band also won Best Blues Band of 2015 and 2016, and the 2017 ETX Award for Best Blues Album.
Venable was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Blues Rock at the 2018 Independent Blues Awards. During her career, she has toured with Kenny Wayne Shepard, Buddy Guy and Christone (Kingfish) Ingram. Her latest album, titled “Heart of Fire”, features her new song “Bring on the Pain” with Kenny Wayne Shepard.
Bruce Cartel, starring John Clifton Blues, Jerami Norris and Travis Brooks, will join Venable on the Michelob Ultra stage for this highly anticipated night under the stars.
Celebrations begin at 5:30 pm with the Beer and Wine Garden featuring Michelob Ultra and Bud Light products. The food vendor lineup includes Beef Master, BBQ Queen, Chicken Shack, Colima’s Tacos, Fatte Albert’s Pizza and Toshiko. There will also be Gold Country Kettle Corn and King Kone to satisfy your sweet tooth. Festival-goers are asked to bring (low-backed) lawn chairs and/or blankets, and don’t forget your dancing shoes.
“The Blues & Roots Festival is one of our favorite events to host,” Hanford Avenue executive director Michelle Brown said in a release. “We’re delighted to have Ally Venable booked as this year’s headliner. It’s incredible to see a young woman reach such heights in a male-dominated industry.”
Doors open at 5:30pm and no bottles, cans or freezers are allowed.
For more information, please contact Main Street Hanford at (559) 582-9457.For more information on the Ally Venable Band, please visit allyvenableband.com.
