Rib and Blues Fest to bring licks to Roachdale

Sunday, September 28, 2014

ROACHDALE -- A fair share of family-friendly licks are expected at Rib and Blues Fest in Roachdale on Saturday, Oct. 4 courtesy of the Roachdale Revitalization Cooperative Alliance (RRCA).

The event will take over Railroad Street from noon -- 11 p.m. with live music from four bands, beer and wine and of course, competitive barbecue.

"We'd really like to get this to turn into an annual event to have a huge impact on our community and our county," RRCA member Joe Buser said, adding that the event will continue to be held on the first Saturday of October and that he would like to see attendance grow to reach several thousand.

"And I really think we can do that."

Barbecue will be provided by Hog 'n It All BBQ (a competitive barbeque team based out of Greencastle) and will feature a rib competition with 10 competitors and a panel of eight local, 'celebrity' judges.

The music side of things will begin at 2 p.m. with Blues Side Up, Tad Robinson, Joel and Tosh of War Radio, Wingnut and other special guests slated to provide entertainment for the evening.

The event is family-friendly but will also have a beer truck as well as a wine tent, with wine being provided by Traders Point Winery of Indianapolis.

"It is important that we have upstart businesses," Buser said regarding Hog'n It All and Traders Point Winery.

According to Buser, the event was the brainchild of RRCA board member Susan Leek and Kevin Kearns, who had been hosting a similar event in their backyard for years.

After interest in their backyard festival continued to grow, they decided that "such a great concept" could be made into an RRCA event under the Roachdale Concert Music Series.

Local sponsors have been integral in shaping and helping the RRCA scale this event to a larger crowd.

"We're grateful to them," Buser said.

Coinciding with the festival is the Krambos' Motorcycle Shop's autumn ride, which is themed this year as "Bikes, Bridges, BBQ and Blues."

Up to 200 participants are expected for the annual ride that will begin at the courthouse square and visit five covered bridges in Putnam County before finishing at the Rib and Blues Fest in Roachdale, possibly almost doubling the hungry mouths and ears for its

inaugural event.

The festival is slated to take place on the first Saturday of October each year.

Plans for the Rib and Blues Fest of 2015 have already entered preliminary planning and sponsoring stages.

"Next year we've already made a commitment," Buser pledged.

The RRCA see the Rib and Blues Fest as an evolution of the its continuing effort to work with other organizations and events to help bring quality entertainment to Roachdale that brings together the citizens of Putnam County.

"We'd like to invite the community and the county to enjoy the evening," Buser encouraged.

"Everybody loves barbecue and blues."

Events are scheduled as follows:

* Noon -- Doors Open

* Noon -- 7 p.m. -- food booth

* 2 - 10 p.m. -- beer truck

* 2 - 7 p.m. -- wine tent

* 6 - 6.30 p.m. -- rib judging

MUSIC:

* 2 - 4 p.m. -- Wing Nut

* 4 - 6 p.m. -- Joel and Tosh of War Radio

* 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. -- Tad

Robinson

* 8:30 - 11 p.m. -- Blues Side Up

Soft drinks and water will be supplied by Roachdale chapter of Delta Theta Tau and beer supplied by Monarch Beverages.

Donations will be accepted for admittance to Rib and Blues Fest and is sponsored by the Roachdale Revitalization Cooperative Alliance. For more information, persons may contact RRCA online through www.roachdalerca.org or by telephone at 765-522-1507.

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