Join us for the FIFTH YEAR of the FREE and Family-friendly, [Read more…]
5th Joliet Blues Festival
Get your tickets now for Joliet’s 5th Blues Festival!
Just $10 in advance ($15 on Saturday).
CLICK the button below to buy online:
Our Joliet Blues Fest made front page new!
CLICK here to read
2023 Blues – Herald News article 8-10-23
Music starts at 3:30pm and we’ll have you home by 10pm.
Lots of food & drinks.
Bring your appetites and lawn chairs, but please, no pets or coolers.
All proceeds are for the benefit of the Park, a 501c3 charity.
Please SHARE THIS with all your music loving friends! See you soon!
2023 BLUES FEST LINEUP
Matt Hendricks and Bill “Cash” Curtis
3:30pm to 4:30pm
Guitarist and blues singer Matt Hendricks and drummer Bill “Cash” Curtis are a Chicago based blues and American roots music duo. Slide guitar player and songwriter Matt Hendrick’s is originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, while his love for the blues is steeped in the South. Matt is versatile and comfortable with a wide range of blue styles and is equally at home in a solo setting or with other musicians. He has a masterful blues fingerpicking and slide guitar style, which complements a deep bluesy voice delivering original and classic songs.
Darren Jay and the Delta Souls
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Darren Jay Fallas began his career in the music business at 13, playing guitar and performing in venues and night clubs. His skills, discipline and focus on results were later sharpened during several tours of duty with the US Navy. Making Chicago his home, he is a professional singer, songwriter, producer, recording and touring artist for Darren Jay and The Delta Souls, delivering original blues music with flair and energy. Darren has toured with several Blues Music Award winning artists and former member of Derek and The Dominoes Bobby Whitlock’s band. Aside from music Darren has a successful acting career, appearing in popular, locally produced shows like Chicago Med, PD and Fire.
T-Bird Huck and the MVP’s
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
“I’m gonna give my soul to the music I love before I have to take it to the Lord above.” This is Joliet bluesman T-Bird Huck’s testimonial from his Lifetime of Blues CD released in 2005. T-Bird has been called the original Joliet Jake based on his antics when he began playing the blues in the 70’s, long before Saturday Night Live’s “Blues Brothers” skit. T-Bird is the long-time host of the “Joliet Heritage Pro Blues Jam”’ held every other Sunday featuring blues artists from the greater Midwest area.
Brandon Santini
8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
The Joliet Blues Festival is thrilled to feature Hohner harmonica-sponsored blues ace Brandon Santini and his band as the headlining act! Brandon moved to Memphis, Tennessee from the East coast in his early 20’s. His love for the blues took off after discovering John Popper and Paul Butterfield.
He formed the Delta Highway band and released The Devil Had A Woman in 2008. He released his debut album, Songs of Love, Money and Misery, in 2011. In 2013, Santini released This Time Another Year which was nominated for numerous Blues Music Awards. His 2019 album, The Longshot, was released to positive reviews and peaked at Number 7 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. He announced his new group, Tennessee Redemption, a band co-fronted with Jeff Jensen in mid-2019. He won a Blues Blast Music Award in 2019 for best Contemporary Blues Album. Don’t Shake The Devil’s Hand was released in 2022 and released The Longshot in March of 2023.
Santini has toured the world performing throughout North America, Europe, India, and in Egypt. Santini has performed numerous times on Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea Cruise. Santini’s song, “Got Good Lovin” is featured in episode three of The NBC Peacock Network’s original series, “Poker Face.” Brandon is also the brand ambassador for Three Chord bourbon.
Wine, Jazz & Art Fest
Wine, Jazz & Art Fest
Saturday, August 19, 2023
3:00- 9:00 pm
Event by Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66
and
Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre
Bring your own chairs or blanket and join your friends on the lawn by the fountain at Bicentennial Park. Enjoy an afternoon of sipping wine from local wineries, listening to live jazz, browsing through local artists creations all along the river in downtown Joliet. Of course, there will be food & beverage vendors offering a variety of tasty bites and beverages.
We’re especially excited to announce we will have local artists, Lynzi Scholz, Eryn Blazer, Erik Ohrn, Antonio Padilla, Matt Jesiolowski, Dave Wheeler and the Strange & Unusual Gallery joining us this year showing off their latest artistic creations.
Wine tastings provided by award winning Bishops Hill of Joliet and Sable Creek of Plainfield.
Food and beverages available at the event by Tom Grotovsky – The Unforgettable Chef, Lightening Concessions and Bicentennial Park.
NO OUTSIDE FOOD AND BEVERAGES ALLOWED.
Tickets:
$20.00 Wine Tasting ($25.00 at the door)k
$10.00 With Out Wine Tasting
Musical Entertainment:
3:00 Mr. Lucky
4:30 Chris Greene
6:00 Shawn Maxwell
7:30 Nick @ Knight
More Info:
https://www.roadtorock.org
Hello@RoadtoRock.org
815-927-1540
45th Festival of the Gnomes
The Gnomes welcome you to the 45th Festival!
The spirit of the season shines thru the “wee folk” who do good works for man and nature. Enjoy their stories through live theatre, gnome-made crafts and more in this family tradition of 45 years! The festival is held indoors.
SHOWS
December 4 – Saturday – 2:00 PM
December 5 – Sunday – 2:00 PM
The show is about 90 minutes (no intermission).
The lobby opens 1 hour before showtime.
TICKETS
$5 all ages*
General admission. Advance purchase recommended.
*If the child is a baby and will not need a chair, there is no charge.
Beloved Gnome Jan and Tom Novotny welcome all ages to Festival of the Gnomes!
TICKETS ONLINE
Visit Ticket Tailor to purchase tickets online:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/billielimacherbicentennialparkandtheatre/
TICKETS THRU OFFICE
You may pick up tickets in the office. If possible, please call ahead so we will have your tickets ready.
OFFICE HOURS
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am- 4:30 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
201 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60432
CONTACT OFFICE
815-724-3761
bipark@joliet.gov
WIN A GNOME TWIN DOLL!
Try your luck to win a hand-sculpted Gnome twin doll by Sally Susner. Each year she had lovingly created one boy and one girl gnome, each wearing custom made clothing with delightful details. Sally has signed and dated each doll, so you’ll always remember the year they were “born.” Have fun finding where she signed them! If you win, bring back your new baby to next year’s Festival of the Gnomes so they can get a tassel for their cap, too! Two drawings will be made at the end of Sunday’s show. Winner need not be present. If you cannot attend the festival, but would like to purchase a raffle chance, contact the Park Office: bipark@joliet.gov.
Gnome Doll Artist, Sally Susner, with the twins she creates each year.
GNOME GIFT SHOP
The lobby opens 1 hour before showtime. Come early!
Visit the Gnome Gift Shop filled with unique, gnome-made treasures.
You can even personalize a pin for your gnome cap.
GNOME CAPS
Audience members can be gnomes, too!
First year to the fest? Stop by the Gift Shop to get your felt gnome cap ($3).
Returning? Visit the Gnome Sewers by the fireplace to get your free tassel sewn onto your cap for FREE!
Gnome Cathy Cushing getting ready to sew a tassel on little girls hat.
Special tassels are sewn on for the 10th (black), 20th (gold), 30th (white) and 40th year (red).
Congratulations, Gnome Actor Cheryl Foster, on receiving your 40th tassel in 2020!
CONCESSIONS
Visit the “Gnome Cookie Factory” for cookie variety plates and hot cocoa.
Swing by the “Tavern On The Bricks” for soft drinks, beer and wine.
LIVE MUSIC
On Saturday, sweet holiday flute music fills the lobby, courtesy of instructor Cindy Butler and her flute students.
Flute instructor Cindy Butler.
FREE PARKING
There is plenty of parking within the park and south of Jefferson Street.
Even with construction on Jefferson Street, you can still get to the Park’s main entrance.
OKTOBERFEST – September 15, 2018
Celebrate with tapping of local brews, eating of brats with toppings, dancing to a Bavarian music and traditional games.
Prizes for best bavarian costume. Come show off your lederhosen!
Bring family & friends. Best part…admission is FREE!
Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 2:00 – 10:00 pm.