The Bluegrass Festival Rules...
2011 Festival takes place September 8th - 10th
Through its many ups and downs, the Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival has brought cheer to thousands of people for the past twenty years. Our mission has always been to give visitors a "down home" welcome to our beautiful small town of Salem Illinois by presenting "World Class Talent" and food that has been written about in national newspapers.
Some bands that have appeared in the past include: Gospel Greats, The Isaacs, Chicago's own, Special Consensus, Italy's, Red Wine, from the Slovak Republic, Fragment, son of an American Legendary Songsmith, Albert E. Brumley J.R., From Nashville Tennessee's Grand Ole Opry, Mike Snider, Bobby Osborne, Bluegrass greats, Lost and Found, Cherryholmes, Alan Bibey, Terry Baucom, Chris Jones, the Clark Family (winners of the next great American band on fox l and later to become the Son's of Silvia), CMT and RFD TV personality, Leroy Troy, Grammy winner and music icon, Ralph Stanley.
The city of Salem Tourism Board and local area sponsors welcome you once again to Bryan Memorial Park for the 20th annual Bluegrass & BBQ Festival. The weekend after "Labor Day Monday" is called Salem's Super Weekend, featuring the Bluegrass music festival, Antique Power Days at the county Fairgrounds, and the Salem Super Cruise from Denny's restaurant on Saturday.
Salem Illinois is the county seat of Marion County with a population of over seven thousand. Salem is the Birthplace of William Jennings Bryan and where John Scopes graduated high school in 1919 (both of the Scopes monkey trial fame). The G.I. Bill of Rights was drafted in the Luther B. Easley post 128 of the American Legion in Salem in 1943.
The Bluegrass music festival has been hosted by several local musicians throughout the years including, Lex Shuler, Dale Brewer, Chris Griffy and for the past few years by yours truly. I'm a proud member of the host band, The Warrior River Boys.
Show the local community that you support this worthwhile endeavor by coming early and staying late. You only need to bring a lawn chair and a smile! Foot tapping optional...
Hope to see you there!
Subcommittee chair
