Jug band music – America’s quintessential river city music-- will be celebrated on the banks of the Ohio River, hosted by Waterfront Development Corporation. The Aug. 23 festival will be staged at the beautiful Brown-Forman Amphitheater on River Road. And for the first time admission is free.

Six jug bands – local, regional and from such far off exotic places as IOWA-- will be jamming their unique form of music from 1 p.m. to 10 pm., accompanied by workshops and history lessons on “America’s Happiest Music.”

“Edu-tainer” Sule Greg Wilson and Louisville folk artist Pokey Lafarge will keep the jug band education and music going between sets. Ever dreamed of playing the washboard, jug or kazoo? Come on out and give it a try! Children are especially welcome. Bring the kids and let them play! A primary Jubilee goal is keeping this music alive by involving young people. Artists in this year’s bands range in age from 8 to 58! Refreshments will be available for purchase all day to keep you cool and full. They range from ice cream, hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie dogs to ice cold soft drinks, selected Brown-Forman wines and Louisville’s own BBC microbrew beer.

At 7 p.m. Friday, August 22: Louisville's Frazier International History Museum will present a Jubilee Launch Party featuring the Juggernaut Jug Band and Cincinnati Dancing Pigs, immediately followed by the KENTUCKY PREMIER of the award winning jug band documentary "Chasin' Gus' Ghost." More detail at www.chasingusghost.com.

Partially filmed at Louisville’s inaugural Jug Band Jubilee, this fascinating new movie traces the history of jug band music, with emphasis on the classic works of Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers. It credits Louisville as the home of the first recorded jug bands in the early 1920s. Tickets for this special Jug Band Jubilee Launch Party are $8 for museum members and $10 for non-members. They will be available at the door.

For more information, go to www.jugbandjubilee.org