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local Illinois beers and music

Blues & Brews Fest

Featuring Live Blues & Local Brews

Sat, May 27th, 2023, 12:00pm

We are excited to announce The Forge Blues & Brews Fest! This event is only $5 for admission for the first 1,000 registrants and includes live blues music all day from renowned artists, including Joanna Connor. Drink tickets will be available for pours from more than 10 featured Illinois breweries.

 

Park food & beverage, activities, and tastings are also available for purchase day of.

Details

Date:
Sat, May 27th, 2023, 12:00pm
Tier 1:
$5 per person (first 1,000)
Tier 2:
$10 per person

Schedule

12:00 PM
Doors Open
12:00 PM
Smiley Tillmon Blues Duo
2:00 PM
Matt Shukin & The Ramblers
4:00 PM
Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio
6:00 PM
Joanna Connor
***Arrive early for prime parking and seating!***

Blues

Smiley Tillmon Blues Duo

12:00 PM

Smiley Tillmon Blues Duo

One of the busiest blues artists in Chicagoland, Smiley Tillmon is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. There’s an obvious reason why the veteran guitarist’s booking schedule is so jam-packed: Smiley knows how to have a good time and makes sure his audience does too. After 55 years on the local blues scene, Tillmon serves up blues and soul standards that people never seem to stop craving. Performing with Smiley is Chicago bassist Tom Rezetko, keeping the grooves tight and right.

Matt Shukin & The Ramblers

2:00 PM

Matt Shukin & The Ramblers

Shukin and the Ramblers is the Rusty Roots Rock Revue you’ll have to see to believe. Influenced by the American sounds of the Chicago Blues, Classic Rn’B, Roots Country, a Funky dose of Gypsy Jazz and a Punk Rock edge, Matt, Dan, and Rob are a power trio with expansive song lists of original material and cover songs, providing a high-energy and engaging live show. From the past hundred years through the present, Shukin and the Ramblers cross many genres - keeping audiences thirsty for more.

Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio

4:00 PM

Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio

Duke Tumatoe, born William “Bill" Severen Fiorio in 1947, is an American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He has gigged with Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, John Fogerty and George Thorogood. He was a founding member of arena-rock giants REO Speedwagon. He has released fifteen albums as the bandleader of Duke Tumatoe & The All-Star Frogs and Duke Tumatoe & The Power Trio. His 1988 live album I Like My Job was produced by John Fogerty. He typically plays more than 100 dates per year.

Joanna Connor

6:00 PM

Joanna Connor

National and International accolades in the press and radio media resulted into a decade of world tours, a dozen recordings on Ruf Records, MC Records and others, a documentary on Germany’s WDR Television, and a multitude of TV appearances and radio features. Joanna and her band share stages with Blues, Rock and Jazz greats, including Luther Allison, BB King, Screaming Jay Hawkins, Robben Ford, Danny Gatton, Robert Cray, Jimmy Page, ZZ Top, Joe Cocker, Etta James, and others.

Brews

Metal Monkey Brewing, Tangled Roots Brewing, Pig Minds Brewing, Hailstorm Brewing, Sketchbook Brewing, Noon Whistle Brewing, Pollyanna Brewing, Short Fuse Brewing, Luna Bay Booch Co, Eris Brewery & Cider House, Black Horizon Brewing, Bubblehouse Brewing, Ike & Oak Brewing, and even more!!

 

***Additional Breweries to be announced!***

***Breweries subject to change***

Food Trucks

Flyin Hawaiian

Food Truck

Flyin Hawaiian

More info on Flyin' Hawaiian here

Serna's Grill

Food Truck

Serna's Grill

More info on Serna's Grill here

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