A new feature of this year’s Urbana Sweetcorn Festival—August 22-23, in downtown Urbana—will be the CU Folk & Roots Festival Stage, located on Race Street, near the Iron Post. Owing to its reputation for staging some of the very best music in the region, the sponsors of the Sweet Corn Festival invited the C-U Folk and Roots Festival to bring some of the best local talent to the community’s largest annual event.
The CU Folk & Roots Stage performances run from 6-11 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights during the Sweetcorn Festival. The Festival will also debut its newest t-shirt design, offering a limited number for sale. The t-shirt design contest was won by Robert Law of Champaign.
On the CU Folk & Roots Stage at the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival:
Friday, August 22
6-7 p.m. – Bow-dacious String Band – Sponsored by the Community Center for the Arts, C4A, the band consists of about 50 kids, aged 6 through high school, who play popular music styles on violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo and other stringed instruments.
7-8 p.m. – Mae & The Dark Days – A new pairing of the area favorites Kenna Mae Reiss and Emily Otnes, and a terrific band; shouldn’t be missed.
8-9:15 p.m. – The Ol’ No. 7 – Chris Strand (guitar/vocals), Jennifer Brackenhoff (upright bass/vocals), Bob Watson (lap steel and dobro), Dustin Norder (mandolin/harmonica/vocals), David Garcia (drums/percussion) playing the sweet sounds of country, swing, and everything in between.
9:15-10:30 p.m. – The Curses – Benjamin Spoden (resonator guitar/vocals), Chris Strand (upright bass/vocals), David Tcheng (saxophones/trumpet/flute/melodica/echo horn), David Garcia (drums/percussion) playing a great mix of Americana, Rockabilly, Honky Tonk, and gritty old school rock and roll.
Saturday, August 23
6-7 p.m. – Urbana Hootenanny with Dustin Norder and Sam Payne – Bringing the good time feel of the Monday night Hootenanny at the famous Rose Bowl Tavern.
7-8 p.m. – Cowboy John Coppess and Friends – John Coppess brings his authentic style and sound to the stage.
8-9:15 p.m. – Cretaceous String Band – A grown-up counterpart to the Community Center for the Arts’ popular Bow-Dacious String Band, led by the talented Tom Faux.
9:15-10:30 p.m. – The Strom Bros. – Marten and Aron Stromberg, and a band of talented musicians, will close out the Folk & Roots Stage at the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival.
The Sweetcorn Festival and street fair is an annual event sponsored by the Urbana Business Association, the City of Urbana, and other area organizations.