How about a jubilee?
Bluegrass Brewing Company (BBC) will do just that on October 21 & 22. The test site is the beautiful tree-lined campus of St. Joseph Children’s Home, where the National Jug Band Jubilee will present five of America’s greatest jug bands in concert, as well as other activities including fall and Christmas crafts.
St. Joseph is located at 2823 Frankfort Avenue – within walking distance from the bustling historic Frankfort Avenue business area. Through the Frankfort Avenue Business Association, area merchants are working with Jubilee volunteers to establish an annual festival for which Louisville is uniquely qualified. At the turn of the 20th century, Louisville was the early home – many say the birthplace – of jug band music, now enjoyed around the world.
BBC is Kentucky’s largest microbrewery, offering a half-dozen appealing brews for local beer lovers. Its products sell in local package stores, bars and restaurants in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Connecticut, as well as at Louisville BBC locations downtown, in St. Matthews, and at the historic Main Street brewery/tap room.
“We strive to create products that are special for and unique to Louisville,” said Bluegrass Brewing Managing Director Scott Roussell. “Jug band music is historically unique to Louisville. We are thrilled to play a role in our community’s celebration of this unique heritage.”
This celebration began July 1, 2005. Nearly 400 jug band fans packed the Belle of Louisville at a $50 per ticket fund-raiser to enjoy Louisville’s Juggernaut Jug Band and the Cincinnati Dancing Pigs. That success inspired Jubilee organizers to proceed.
“Last year the community responded beyond expectations” said Jubilee founder and president Rod Wenz. “This year, response to the week/files/storyimages/Jubilee will determine the potential for a Louisville festival of national significance.”
Wenz noted that the first 2006 Jubilee ticket order came from Chicago and a day later the leader of a German jug band ordered a Louisville Stoneware miniature jug featured on the www.jugbandjubilee.org website.
“Our immediate goal is to make Louisville’s jug band history as well known and appreciated right here at home as it is around the U.S. and in other countries where jug band music thrives,” Wenz added.
He said Jubilee tickets are locally available at ear X-tacy Records and at the three local BBC locations. They are also available for credit card purchase on the National Jug Band Jubilee website through TicketWeb and by telephone through the local event office at (502) 451-7981.
Roussell said BBC eagerly anticipates consumers’ response to the taste of JUBILEE! Beer at the festival compared with their appreciation of BBC’s popular Nut Brown Ale and Bluegrass Gold that will also be offered at the Jubilee.
“The ultimate test will be comparative volume and sales,” he added, “but we int/files/storyimages/to ask the opinion of jug band fans. We believe JUBILEE! has a unique taste just right for autumn and delightful old-timey music.”
Five of America’s greatest jug bands will provide that music, Wenz said. They are headlined by Louisville’s own Juggernaut Jug Band, the nation’s only fulltime touring jug band. Others include the Cincinnati Dancing Pigs, Dirdy Birdies Jug Band of New Jersey, Washboard Slim & the Blue Lights of Connecticut and North Carolina’s Carolina Chocolate Drops, whose banjo player/female vocalist is an accomplished opera soprano.
“We’ll be serving up a family-oriented musical feast that appeals to individuals young and old and across the ethnic spectrum,” Wenz said.
The Jubilee also will be serving up such hometown specialties as fish & chips from The Irish Rover and pizza from Snappy Tomato, as well as standard U.S. fare.
