Enjoy a weekend of blues, barbecue and beer during the longtime Springfield tradition of the Old Capitol Blues & BBQ festival. Managed by The Alamo and the Central Illinois Blues Club, the festival takes place on the grounds of the Old State Capitol Plaza and offers a variety of blues music from national, regional and local acts for the low price of $5 per day. Friday’s musical lineup features local favorites The Mary Jo Curry Blues Band along with South Florida’s Albert Castiglia Band and hard-hitting Chicago Blues act Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials. Saturday’s schedule begins with the ICBC “Road to Memphis Blues Challenge” at 2 p.m. followed by the Springfield-based James Armstrong Band, Memphis, Tennessee’s Eric Gales and concludes with Kenny Neal, the 2017 Blues Music Award-winner for “best contemporary blues album” and “best contemporary blues male artist.” For those in search of after-hours fun, The Alamo will host official Blues & BBQ after-parties both Friday and Saturday nights from 11:30 p.m. through 2:30 a.m. For more information about the Old Capitol Blues & BBQ festival, visit http://downtownspringfield.org or call 544-1723.
Old Capitol Blues & BBQ
Aug 25-26, 6pm Fri, 2pm Sat
Old State Capitol Plaza
544-1723
$5 per day; free to ages 12 and under
This article appears in Aug 24-30, 2017.
