If you’re already suffering from the summertime blues, Tim Lidiak, president of Newbold CDC’s board of directors, has the cure for you. With Lidiak’s help, Newbold CDC is putting on the second annual Newbold Blues Festival, which will feature not only blues, but also barbecue and brews. It’ll take place on Saturday, June 15, from 1 to 6 p.m. at 16th and West Passyunk Avenue in Newbold.
“It will be very family oriented,” said Lidiak. “The music is good family entertainment.”
In addition to the music, Lidiak said there will be hula hoops, coloring books and sidewalk chalk for children.
However, the event is meant to be more than just a fun get together for neighbors and their children. It’s doubling as a fundraiser for Newbold CDC’s South Philly Green program, which aims to plant trees and maintain gardens and planters along West Passyunk Avenue.
“Over the last 10 years we’ve planted gardens at several intersections,” explained Lidiak. “The war memorial at 17th Street, front yard of Stephen Girard Elementary School. We’ve done a lot of work over the last 10 years, and the festival is a way to continue on with that work.”
The event will feature five bands, all of whom have a style derivative of blues, blues-rock or rockabilly. The bands on the bill are Slo & Shakey Lyman, the Blue Pharaohs, Hannah Taylor and the Rekardo Lee Trio, Venom Blues and a Rolling Stones tribute band called Brown Sugar (Brown Sugar also played last year’s East Passyunk Car Show & Street Festival and was a hit with the crowd).
The following six local breweries will also be in attendance: Second District Brewing, Brewery ARS, Dock Street Brewery, Point Breeze Brewing, Separatist Beer Project, Ploughman Cider.
In addition to the beer, food will be on hand from vendors like Café y Chocolate, Mike’s BBQ, The Thirsty Soul, Philly Soft Pretzel Factory and Moon Dawg Sundaes.
Lidiak, who hails from Houston, said he grew up on classic country and blues music.
“I know there’s some roots here in Philly with the blues as well so I wanted to carry some of that culture here to South Philly,” Lidiak said. “I would encourage folks to come to help us support the Newbold/West Passyunk community. Help us raise some money for our greening efforts and because you’ll have a great time. You can’t go wrong with blues, brews and barbecue.”
