- Tickets for Saturday, May 18th are $40 in advance and $50 at the door.
- Admission is free to the public on Friday, May 17th and Sunday, May 19th.
- Concerts are held on stages around the Silo's Red Bluff Bar.
- Enter Riverfront Park through the Commerce Street tunnel.
Longtime live music fans in Montgomery may remember a massive downtown extravaganza called Jubilee CityFest, a three-day music and arts festival that rocked Montgomery for 36 years .
Sadly, it ended in 2012 and the tradition was never fully revived. That may change thanks to a new riverfront festival.
“Our dream is for this to evolve into the old Jubilee Cityfest,” said William Burns, director of entertainment for Vintage Hospitality Group. He hosted the 2nd Annual Red Bluff Music, Arts & Food Festival at his riverfront park in Montgomery from Friday, May 17th through Sunday, May 19th.
“We've had some great feedback and the city has been really supportive of what we're doing there,” Burns said. “Mayor Reed sponsors and supports our events, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and various city council members. We have great corporate sponsors.”
Burns said the celebration will be held on Friday and Sunday, May 17th and 19th, at Silos' Red Bluff Bar, located atop a hill in Riverfront Park, and will be free to attend on those two days. Ta.
“The whole concept behind Red Bluff Bar is to honor the history of the place and do something really special for the city of Montgomery,” Burns said.
On Saturday, May 18, performances will take place on three stages, including the nearby Riverwalk Amphitheater. Tickets for this day are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Burns said VIP passes are available to him for $100 while supplies last. Children 12 and under are admitted free.
“We programmed music for the whole city there,” Burns said. “Our purpose is to truly celebrate Montgomery. That's what we do there every night.”
Burns, a longtime musician, took on the position last year, along with restaurateur Judd Brandt of Vintage Hospitality, just as Red Bluff was hosting its first festival. It was Memorial Day weekend. This year, the festival will be held the weekend before the holiday.
“About two years ago, I moved back home and started talking to Judd,” Burns said. “Of course, he has a big heart for music. He wants to do more and is busy, so he asked me if I could help him manage his music activities.”
Burns said the three biggest acts at this year's festival are:
Jerry Douglas, 14-time Grammy Award winner and one of the world's leading dobro masters.
Eric Gales believes Burns is “the greatest living blues/rock guitarist on the planet.” He's like our Jimi Hendrix. ”
“Princess of the Southern Soul Genre” West Love.
“We’re hoping to see more big names next year,” Burns said.
This is just a small portion of the festival's music lineup, which Burns said includes a number of “really legit” local performers.
Friday
Free — Gates open at 4 p.m.
maestro stage
- House Music by DJ Ali & DJ Jeffrey James
- 4-5pm John Bull Band with Peggy Walker
- 5:15pm – 6:15pm Sheiloh Martin & Frank Jordan
- 6:30pm-7:30pm Ike Bell College Jazz Collective
- 7:45pm – 9:15pm 4th Quarter Band
- 9:30pm – 11pm Little Rain Band
Saturday
Tickets required — Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
maestro stage
- 1:30pm – 2:00pm Electric Blue Yonder
- 2:45pm – 3:15pm Trew TheStar, John Boy, That Boogie, Jeremy Flyy
- 4pm to 4:30pm Shanae King, Jasdori, Kita Crowell, Just Jeter
- 5:30pm-6:00pm Jonathan Michael
- 7:00pm – 7:30pm Charity Borden
- 9:00pm – 9:30pm Little Kim Stewart & Funk Nation
- 11pm-1am Gumptown Brass & Red Bluff Ramblers All-Star Jam
Riverwalk Amphitheater
- 1:00pm to 1:30pm Kirk Jay
- 2pm to 2:45pm Taylor Hollingsworth
- 3:15pm – 4pm Happy Ghost
- 4:30pm – 5:30pm Talisman
- 6:00pm to 7:00pm West Love
- 7:30pm – 9pm Jerry Douglas Band
- 9:30pm – 11pm Eric Gales
jubilee stage
- 12:30-13:30 Ramblin' Ricky Tate
- 1:30pm – 2:30pm Leo
- 2:45pm – 3:45pm Rachel!
- 3:45pm – 4:45pm Richard Incorporated
- 4:45pm – 5:45pm Wesley Hill
- 5:45pm – 6:45pm “Everything Becomes Everything”
Sunday
Free — gates open at 1 p.m.
jubilee stage
- House Music by DJ Ali & DJ Jeffrey James
- 1pm Eva Jane
- 2:15pm – 3:15pm Glen Street Band
- 3:30pm-4:30pm DJ Randolph's Sacred Steel Review
- 4:45pm – 5:45pm John Mark Turner & Dave P. Moore
- 6:00pm to 7:30pm Early James
- 7:45-9 pm Sam Williams Super Jazz Session
“We're really trying to introduce local people and young people,” Burns said.
Along with the music, the festival is also a showcase for Montgomery's talented local visual artists. That includes talents like Tamia Coleman, Kevin King, and husband-and-wife duo Luke and Amy Bentley. A portion of the festival's proceeds will be donated to West's Montgomery arts and community development nonprofit, The King's Canvas 501c3.
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Come hungry and sample this city's unique Southern cuisine. Burns said chefs from Vintage Hospitality Group (Vintage Year, Vintage Café, Frenchie's and Ravello Ristorante) are preparing special dishes. Food will also be provided by Chef Amber Bonds of Funky Forte, Express Yo Noodles and other local restaurants.
“It's music, food and art,” Burns said. “We have great local artists and local chefs.”
The family fun zone also has inflatables for kids to play with.
The walk-in entrance to the festival site, Riverfront Park, is located through the downtown tunnel on Commerce Street. Enter the park and turn right to reach the amphitheater and Red Bluff Bar.
For more information and tickets to Red Bluff Music Festival, visit www.RedBluffFest.com.
Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers activity in the River Region. To contact him, sheupel@gannett.com.