2017 Festival Was Our Best Yet!

Ticket sales topped all other years and attendance was the best yet!  The crowd was into the bands, beer and food!  Thanks to all who came out to support the blues and live music! It was a great time and we'll continue to try to make it better and better every year!

Here are some great photos by Rick Davis, Crossroads Board Member!

Ivy Ford Album on Facebook

Corey Dennison Album on Facebook

The Jimmys Album on Facebook

Kinsey Report Album on Facebook

Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones Album on Facebook

Other Fest Photos

2017 Blues Blast Music Award Winner Announcements and More!

At 3:40 PM, 5:40 PM and 7:40 PM, the 2017 Blues Blast Music Award winners will be announced at our festival on the main stage!  Here are the nominees: 2017 BBMAs

Bob Kieser, editor and owner of Blues Blast Magazine, will be there and the awards will be announced by Bob, Steve Jones (Crossroads President, Blues Blast writer), Mark Thompson (Sun Coast President, Blues Blast writer, Blues Foundation Board), Linda Cain (Chicago Blues Guide) and Amy Brat (Brat Girl Media).

The date and location for the 2018 BBMA Award Show will also be announced.  I think area residents will be very excited to hear about this!

One last major announcement will be a new scholarship that Crossroads will be awarding each year beginning at the end of the 2017/2018 School Year!  This will be done at 3:30 PM on the Main Stage.

2017 Festival Info

Rain or shine means just that.  The show must go on! The weatehr reports is looking fine!!!

Lyran Park sits just south of Rockford Airport on the bank of the Kishwaukee River.  Here is a map of the area:

Lyran Park is a beautiful setting.  The stage is on the bank of the Kishwaukee River just before it flows into the Rock River.  The part rolls gently up a nice, slight grass-covered slope.  The park is covered in mature hardwood tree with great shade while not interfering with sight lines.

Here is the layout:

No outside coolers, food or beverages please (dietary restrictions excepted).  Please bring chairs or a blanket.

No pets, please. Service animals are allowed.

Free parking.  Golf carts shuttle from lot to gate to seating area.  Handicap parking along storm fence next to gate.  Shuttles will run all day and night along paved path.  Park immediately and walk to gate

No seating on pavement; dancing only!  No golf carts will be driving on pavement or grass in front of stage while bands are playing. 

Camping is $20 per night (Friday and/or Saturday).

Food Vendors:
AnJans Eats
Smokehouse BBQ
Maria's Tacos
Gala Snacks
Frank Ridings Italian Beek, Sausgae and Pizza
Gelato and Italian Ice
Funnel Cakes

Merchandise Vendors:
Wild Bill's
Culture Shock
Kathy's Purses
Essential Oils  

2017 Blues Festival WIFR Channel 23 Promo Video

Watch for us on Rockford's CBS Affiliate WIFR Channel 23 and their subsidiary channels!

2017 Festival Information

Tickets are on sale and they are flying out!  Get yours today!  Tickets available here on line or at:

Rockford:

Woodman’s Market, Perryville Road

Culture Shock, Charles St

Guzzardo Music, Charles Street

Smokehouse BBQ ,South Main Street

CD Source, State Street

Just Goods, 7th Street

Toad Hall Records, Broadway

Lyran Society, 4th Avenue

Loves Park:

Hope and Anchor English Pub, N 2nd St

Winnebago:

Snyder’s Pharmacy

Byron:

Snyder’s Pharmacy

Felker’s Values Fresh Market

Oregon:

Snyder’s Pharmacy

New Milford:

Lazy Bonz Liquor

Freeport:
Tony's Oyster Bar
Logan's Bar and Grill

Beloit:

Grand Avenue Pub

Mail order with SASE to:

Crossroads Blues Festival

PO Box 840

Byron, IL 61010

Mail orders must be received by August 12th.

This year's fest features 30 types of beer plus 3 types of wine!  Any or all for $4 each!

Thanks to all our sponsors!  welcome to Lonnie's Carpet Max and Lonnie's Stonecrafters, our newest Platinum Sponsors!

Camping

· Camping is $20 per night

· You can camp one or two days (Friday and Saturday)

· Camp sites are primitive; no water or electric

· Portable restroom available, no showers/sinks

· Same fee for tents, pop ups, trailers and RVs

Festival Area

· No coolers, alcohol, food or beverages go into the festival area except for special dietary needs issues (illness, medical, infants, etc.)

· Pop up tents are allowed at the top of the hill or by the river to the far right of the stage; we do not want to block site lines

· The paved street in front of the stage is for dancing; no seating at any time and no golf carts while bands are playing

· Beer and wine sales by ticket only, $4 per ticket and one ticket per beer or wine (33 varieties)

· Pop and water $1, cash only

· Food is available from food vendors at a fair and nominal charge; cash and credit cards if vendor accepts credit

· ATM available at Gate and in Pavilion/Blues Central

· Merchandise available in Pavilion and from vendors

· Festival Tee Shirts

· Regular Tee shirts $15 each, $20 for plus sizes; $5 off two shirts

· Tie dyed tee shirts $20 each, $25 for plus sizes; $5 of two shirts

· Can mix and match type of shirt for two shirt discount

· No pets allowed in the festival area or at campsites; restricted by our insurance (sorry!)

· Service animals are allowed

Thank You for Coming to Our 2016 Festival! We Also Preview Our 2017 Festival!

We had almost 2,500 come out for our event on August 27th!  Advanced ticket sales set all-time records!  We had a fantastic day, great weather, 29 kinds of beer and wine, superb food, fun merchandise vendors and the best music fans in the world!

August 26th 2017 is the date for our 8th Annual Crossroads Blues Festival at Lyran Park.  We've got our lineup set and it's another year with a fantastic variety of styles and sounds that will appeal to a broad blues music demographic!

Opening the day is the hot young act from north of Chicago- the Ivy Ford Band. Ivy is taking the blues world by storm and we look forward to her opening our fest!  She goes on at Noon.

You can check out Ivy at: http://www.ivyfordmusic.com/

At 2 PM we have one of the hottest acts in the blues world right now is Corey Dennison. He's got his new debut CD on Delmark Records that is flying off shelves. Nominated for a Blues Blast Music Award, it is one of  the best CDs of 2016!  Corey is a rising star in the blues world and he has a fantastic band featuring Gerry Hundt on guitar, Nik Skilnik on bass and Joel Baer on drums, they are fantastic!

You can check Corey's website for more information: http://www.coreydennison.com/

Also featured will be the hottest and swinging-est blue band from Wisconsin, The Jimmys!  With band leader Jimmy Voegeli on Hammond Organ/ keys/ vocals, Perry Weber  on guitar/ vocals, John Wartenweiler on electric and upright bass, Mauro Magellan on drums, Darren Sterud on Trombone/Vocals, Pete Ross on Saxaphones and Mike Boman on Trumpet, you can't find a hotter band than these guys.  Well, you can if you add another drummer- none!other than Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos! The Jimmys go on at 4 PM.

For more on the Jimmys go to their website: http://www.thejimmys.net/

At 6 PM will be none other than the fantastic Kinsey Report!  The Kinsey Report Line- Up is Ralph Kinsey on Drums and Vocals, Donald Kinsey on Vocals and Guitar, Ken Kinsey on Bass and Vocals and Andy Ogrodzinski on Guitar.  The borthers and Andy are keeping the great music of the blues alive with the band that their Dad started when they were young lads. It's always a great show with the Kinseys- we are looking forward to their return to Rockford!

You can see and hear more about the Kinseys at: http://www.kinseyreportband.com/

Eastside Detroit native Doug Deming, now hailing from Florida’s Gulf Coast, has garnered widespread attention for his deft guitar work and memorable songwriting. With a nod to the likes of T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian, as well as Luther Tucker and Robert Jr. Lockwood, Doug leaves his own mark. Doug has spent much of the following years touring and recording with top blues artists, including Fabulous Thunderbirds frontman Kim Wilson, legendary Louisiana swamp bluesman Lazy Lester, Texas' Gary Primich, Chicago greats Johnny “Yard Dog” Jones and A.C. Reed, as well as Detroit’s own Queen of the Blues, Alberta Adams. Leading his band The Jewel Tones, Doug continues to bring noteworthy traditional and original roots music to his audiences.  Doug will have a special guest with him- stay tuned to find out who it will be!

More about Doug and the band at: http://www.dougdeming.com/

Also performing with be a youth act Brutal Wedgie and Dan Phelps, the winner of our 2016 Crossroads Blues Solo/Duo Challenge who will be representing us in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge.

Dan Phelps

Brutal Wedgie

Our youth act Brutal Wedgie goes on at 130 PM in the Pavilion.  Also in the pavilion, at 330 PM we once again have the great Joe Filisko coming to do our harmonica workshop.  At 530 PM we have Paul Kaye coming from the Old Towne School of Music to do a guitar workshop.  At 730 PM, Dan Phelps will be playing for us and will have some Hard Times Cigar Box Guitars to demo for us, too!

  

        

Joe Filisko                                  Paul Kaye

2017 is going to give us another great festival!  Stay tuned for more updates!

What you need to know for the 2016 festival...

Rain or shine means just that.  The show must go on!

Lyran Park sits just south of Rockford Airport on the bank of the Kishwaukee River.  Here is a map of the area:

Lyran Park is a beautiful setting.  The stage is on the bank of the Kishwaukee River just before it flows into the Rock River.  The part rolls gently up a nice, slight grass-covered slope.  The park is covered in mature hardwood tree with great shade while not interfering with sight lines.

Here is the layout:

No outside coolers, food or beverages please (dietary restrictions excepted).  Please bring chairs or a blanket.

No pets, please.

Free parking.  Golf carts shuttle from lot to gate to seating area.  Handicap parking along storm fence next to gate.  Shuttles will run all day and night along paved path.  Park immediately and walk to gate

No seating on pavement; dancing only!  No golf carts will be driving on pavement or grass in front of stage while bands are playing.

Camping is $20 per night (Friday and/or Saturday).