Thank You to Everyone Who Came Out to the 5th Annual Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park!

It looked grim early in the day.  A slight drizzle began as Stormcellar took the stage to open the festival.  About 20-30 minutes into the set the skies opened but there was no lightning or thunder so the show went on.  It lasted about 30 minutes as heavy rain and then light rain fell till about 2:30 PM.  It was hazy the rest of the day until the sun came out about 6 PM; the weather and park were great as it all drained away at the venue and show were ready to go!  Thanks to all who came out and especially to those who braved the entire day!  A special thanks to the Lyran Society who were our partners for this great event.  Lyran Park was a great location for our festival and we will be planning for 2015 soon!

Here are a few pictures of the festival.  For more go to:
2014 Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park Photo Album

Stormcellar from Sydney, Australia.

Rain?  It's not so bad!

 Vendors

 Stormcellar- Jo and Mike

 Beer Ticket Sales and Friends

 The corn was good as was all the food!

 The rain is letting up!

 Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames

 Dave Weld Testifies to the Crowd

 Joe Filisko Harp Workshop

 Joe and Zoe Instructing their Students

 WNIJ at Blues Central

Bert Gray (WNIJ Development Director) and Saturday Night Blues Host David James

Merch Sales

Sales were actually good!

Filskpo showing that no hands are needed to play

Rick Raven and Dave Weld playing the same guitar

Benny Rickun on Harp

Rev Raven hitting a high note

Danny kicked his stool away as he played "Wild Child"

Hardtime Cigar Box Raffle

The lucky winner gets his guitar from Randy Shuld

Crossroads President and Festival Chair Steve Jones take the ALS challenge without even flinching!

Mel Ford- Madison's Guitar Great

Barrelhouse Chuck- master of the blues piano!

Westside Andy Linderman- no one plays harp like him!

Lurrie Bell- headliner extraordinaire with a Blues royalty band!

Lurrie and the Band

Roosevelt Purfoy Jr.



Willie "The Touch" Hayes

Melvin Smith

 Lurrie Bell

We're Ready to Go! Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Some of the Great Food Vendors Coming to the Festival

Crossroads Blues Festival on Aaron and Andy WIFR Channel 23 Rockford

Morning Blend 8-19-14 WIFR Channel 23 Rockford

Crossroads Festival PSA on WREX Channel 13

2014 Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park

Television PSA by WREX Channel 13 Rockford

What to Drink and Eat at the Fest

 

Beginning with drinking, beers are $4.00.  You can have the standard fare of many of the Bud, Miller and Coors products or the sweet stuff that Bud and Mike's make, or you can sample these fine beers.  We've got a great IPA and Porter from a craft brewery in Chicago, Sam, Blue Moon, two of Oberon's nice ales, Goose Island Wheat beer and Stella.  Not a bad selection!  Pop and water will be only a buck!

Food is also important.  We've got a few vendors with some great stuff.  Smokehouse BBQ has their fare to sample, Anjan's Eats has bourbon glazed chops and all sort of other good stuff and Take Outz is offering Italian beef and sausage.  There will be some more good stuff, too!

Getting Around Lyran Park

4781 South Bend Road, Rockford, IL 61101

Handicapped assisted entry- we have golf carts that can transport 

attendees from parking to the festival area.