Downtown Elkhart will celebrate the return of the Island of Blues music festival on Sept. 14.
This year’s festival will be hosted by Ole’ Harv, the host of WVPE’s Blues Revue. The festival will feature multiple blues musicians throughout the day.
Attendees will be able to hear performances from:
- Big Daddy Dupree’s Broke & Hungry Blues Band
- Southside Denny
- DieDra and the Ruff Pro Band
- Stefan Hillesheim
- Mike Wheeler Band
- Stefan Hillesheim
- DieDra and the Ruff Pro Band
- Southside Denny
Big Daddy Dupree's Broke & Hungry Blues Band from Leesburg will kick off the festival. The band plays a mix of classic hits and deep blues cuts.
Southside Denny was born and raised in South Bend. With a career spanning decades, Southside Denny plays a blend of blues, rock and soul. DieDra and The Ruff Pro Band play a wide spectrum of blues styles. German-born Stefan Hillesheim combines traditional blues with modern influences.
The Mike Wheeler Band will headline the festival. Hailing from Chicago, Wheeler is a blues guitarist and singer.
Local vendors will be selling BBQ, desserts and cold drinks. The event will also feature a barbecue sauce competition.
Island of Blues will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 14 at Island Park in Downtown Elkhart. The event is free to attend. More information is available here.