The end of summer can cause some people to sing the blues — but that’s a good thing at the 11th annual Little Bear Ribfest in Vernon Hills.
The two-day festival at the Century Park Arboretum on Little Bear Lake, held this year Aug. 19-20, brings together some of the area’s top blues musicians to accompany an array of barbecue, bourbon and beer to help soothe the sting of the waning summer days.
“It’s a music fest with mostly blues musicians on our big outdoor stage,” said Cheryl Buhmann, marketing and communications manager at the Vernon Hills Park District, which organizes the festival.
“Festival goers may bring their own lawn chairs and even small picnic tables, or we have plenty of large picnic tables on the festival grounds. We’ll have numerous restaurants that specialize in barbecue ribs and side dishes — plus there’s a beer tent, a bourbon tent and plenty of nonalcoholic choices, too.”
The festival kicks off at 6 p.m. Aug. 19, and at 7 p.m. The Chicago Experience, a local nine-piece Chicago tribute band, takes the stage. For the first time, the festival is featuring a fireworks show this year, and it will take place after The Chicago Experience performance around 8:30 p.m. The evening’s entertainment concludes with a performance by Jake and Elwood, a Blues Brothers tribute group, starting at 9 p.m.
On Aug. 20, the concerts begin at 5 p.m. with Funky Mojo Daddy, a blues, soul and funk band from northwest Indiana. It’s followed by Laura Rain and the Caesars, a Detroit-based blues and soul band that’s known for the hard-driving voice of its lead singer. Finishing off the entertainment will be Shawn Holt & the Teardrops, a nationally touring blues band, which will take the stage at 9 p.m.
When it comes to food — ribs are the obvious star of the show. Smokin BBQ, Brothers’ BBQ, City Barbecue and BBQ’d Productions Bar & Grill will all be offering their takes on the classic, as well as other smoked and grilled favorites. Roasted corn will also be served, as well as multiple dessert options. All of the food vendors accept cash.
Drink vendors will work differently, with tents set up to serve adults interested in libations and paid with drink tickets instead of cash.
“We have a specific tent for festival goers who enjoy bourbon,” Buhmann said. “We have several varieties of bourbon for $10 per glass. We also have a separate tent that serves beer and wine.”
Organizers expect close to 2,000 people a day at the festival, which raises money for the Family Scholarship Fund, which supports children in Vernon Hills whose families are experiencing financial difficulty.
Little Bear Ribfest
When: 6-11 p.m. Aug. 19; 4-11 p.m. Aug. 20
Where: Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Pkwy., Vernon Hills
Tickets: $5; children age 5 and under are free
Information: 847-996-6800; vhparkdistrict.org
Jeff Banowetz is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.