Jennie DeVoe to headline Rib & Blues Festival

Railroad Street in Roachdale will be alive with music and food for the eighth-annual Roachdale Rib & Blues Festival on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Jennie DeVoe will headline a lineup that also includes Bubbles Brown, Scott Ballantine and Andra Fay and The Fret Set.

Presented by the Roachdale Revitalization Coopertive Alliance, the event will begin when the gates open at noon. Music begins at 2 p.m.

“After our extremely successful event last year, we are excited to welcome the crowds next Saturday to enjoy great music, terrific food and drink and unique shopping experiences,” RRCA Present Joe Buser, who organizes the event, said. “We have steadily built a following since our first year, when we only had about 100 attendees and used a hay wagon for a stage. Last year, we saw around 1,000 people who enjoyed our festival throughout the day.”

This is a free community event, however the RRCA will appreciate any donations of any size to help cover the costs.

Besides music, the event will also feature an informal dedication ceremony to introduce a mural on the west side of “Off the Rails” catering hall. Designed and painted by Pennsylvania-based artists Anna + Jonathan, the mural is one of five across the county and two in Roachdale that are part of the Putnam County Mural Festival.

The other Roachdale mural is on the south side of town at the community park, designed by Greencastle native Harriet Watson.

Opening the music at 2 p.m. will be The Fret Set, followed by Ballantine and Faye, then Brown and finishing up with DeVoe at 6 p.m.

Local musician and artist Derek Chastain will emcee the event and will introduce each act.

This year’s food vendors include Samano’s Taco Truck, Wally’s BBQ, Indy Porkopolis BBQ, Big Al’s BBQ & Catering, E&M Hot Diggity Dogs, Off the Rails Catering, Almost Home Restaurant, Delta Theta Tau, Kona Ice and That Good Kettle Corn.

Beer and wine will be poured by Big Lug Brewing Company and Blackhawk Winery.

Sponsors include Tri-County Bank, Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Gavilon, Just R Time Construction, Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Heather Taylor-State Farm Insurance, Jennifer Jackson-Edward Jones, Quality Shirts & More, Thomas Garage Door Sales and Detro Trailers.