Crystal Springs offers ‘Taste of the Blues’ April 27

The fifth annual Taste of the Blues festival will be held Saturday in downtown Crystal Springs. It will be a day of great music along with more than three dozen food and craft vendors. The fun will go well into the evening with dancing in the streets until 10 p.m.

The event, sponsored by Main Street Crystal Springs, will be in Railroad Park. So organizers can set up for the festival, the city is closing Front Street at 6 p.m., Friday, from East Georgetown Street to Cayuga Street (just past City Hall). The intersection of Front Street and East Marion Avenue will also be closed. The closings will be in effect until after the festival ends Saturday night.

Felicia Thompson, director of Main Street Crystal Springs, encourages everyone to “join us as we celebrate the essence of blues at an event that promises to captivate your senses and uplift your spirits.” She said that it will give people a chance to “experience the magic of live performances, delicious food, and a vibrant community coming together in harmony.”

The festival opens at 2 p.m. with blues music by the Midnight Shift under The Shed. The Lindsey Claire Dance Company will also perform at The Shed, which will be set up as a Blues VIP Lounge, where festivalgoers can hang out and enjoy the music and refreshments.

Music on the main stage begins at 4 p.m. The Patrick Harkins Band, of Jackson, has been added to the musical lineup. The band, which prides itself on getting people to dance floor, plays soul, rhythm and blues, and other genres.

Other musicians on the main stage will include Kerry Thomas, showcasing his diverse sound of pop, rhythm and blues, plus neo-soul; Humid Subtropic, a four-piece genre-bending band, influenced by rock, blues, funk, jazz, folk, and classical music; and the Bailey Brothers, a rock and roll group from the Mississippi Delta.

Main Street Crystal Springs will have an information booth at the intersection of Front Street and East Marion Avenue. Festivalgoers can buy tickets there for a 50/50 raffle. The money collected will be split between the raffle winner and Main Street, which will use its part for its mission of promoting downtown businesses.

Also at the booth, blues fans can also participate in a silent auction for artwork featuring B.B. King, signed by the renowned artist H.C. Porter, of Vicksburg, whose work has become known internationally. Included with the poster is Porter’s book “Blues @ Home,’ featuring artwork of 31 living blues legends in Mississippi and their stories. Included in the auction will also be the painting “Home on the Moon,” signed by the noted artist George Rodrigue and donated by That Perfect Piece.

As with past festivals, there is something for everyone. The popular Kids Zone added last year will be bigger and better this time, with a bounce house, petting zoo, and Snap Happy face painting. Parents will also find helpful information from various organizations, including the Office of Oral Health, the Women Infant and Children program, and Brushy Creek Head Start.