Time for festivals

By Wayne Laepple
The Daily Item

May 21, 2009 08:25 am

— 'Tis the season, folks. There are four blues festivals coming up over the next eight or nine weeks, each with its own special charms.
We start out with the Spyglass Ridge Winery's event next Saturday at the winery off Plum Creek Road in Rockefeller township right outside Sunbury (for directions or more information, visit www.spyglassridgewinery.com or call 286-9911). Seven local and regional favorites will rock the place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Two weeks later, the nationally-recognized Billtown Blues Festival fires up for its 20th anniversary show at the Lycoming County Fairgrounds in Hughesville noon to 10 p.m. June 14, rain or shine (for more information and the lineup, visit www.billtownblues.org or call 584-4480). Tickets are $18 in advance, $23 at the gate.
Two festivals take place in July. First is the Briggs Farm Blues Festival, held at -- where else? -- Briggs Farm near Nescopeck. This is a very laid-back, enjoyable event on July 10-11, starting in the late afternoon and going into the evening each day. (More info: www.briggsfarm.com or call 379-2003). Advance price for a one-day ticket is $20 for either day Friday or Saturday. The price at the Gate will be $25.
Finally, the huge Pocono Blues Festival is held at Big Boulder Ski Area near Blakeslee July 24-26 -- three days of the top blues music in the world. I'll have more details on each of these events in coming columns.
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If you're over Freeburg way tonight for the Freeburg Firemen's carnival, the Make Mine Country Band will entertain immediately following the parade. Also tonight, Sink or Swing is at the Selins Grove Brewing Co. in Selinsgrove with its wonderfully nostalgic swing music sound from 7-10 p.m.
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Front Street Station in Northumberland kicks off their music on the terrace Friday night at 7 p.m. with classic rock and blues by Not Guilty. $1 cover. Up in Danville, Mark Tomeo will be at Brews n Bytes on Lower Mulberry Street with his sweet jazz guitar from 6:30-9 p.m.
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Saturday night, Make Mine Country will be at the Barnyard near Mifflinburg at 6 p.m. Tamboura is at Front Street Station on the terrace from 7-10 p.m. $1 cover. Earl Pickens and the BlahBlahBlahs will be at Cherry Alley Cafe in Lewisburg tonight from 7-9 p.m.
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On Sunday evening, Hannah Bingman and Doug McMinn will be at Skeeter's BBQ in Shamokin Dam from 5-8 p.m. with some mellow blues and standards.
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My good friend Chris Whitmer is taking over hosting duties of the Wednesday jams at the Meiserville Inn, starting next Wednesday, May 27. Chris will host the 7-10 p.m. acoustic jams the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, relieving Dave Blackledge, the founder of the jams after several years. Dave deserves a break, and Chris is a young guy who learned everything he knows about running a jam from Dave. Chris also hosts the second Sunday jams at the Selins Grove Brewing Co. and occasional jams at Cherry Alley Cafe.
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The Milton Area High School Concert Choir Annual "Pops" concert will be held tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Milton Area High School Performing Arts Center. This year's concert is being held in conjunction with the district-wide art show which will also be taking place in the High School. The concert will feature the Concert choir, show choir, and many solos and small group numbers. The music covers a wide variety of styles, from spirituals to Broadway show tunes, and promises something for everyone! Admission is free, but donations will be gladly accepted!