Groove to the Music at Festival on the Bay

Petoskey's 9th Annual Festival on the Bay will be held Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 at the Petoskey, Michigan waterfront parks.

Petoskey's Festival on the Bay has lined up two days of great music entertainment Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 in the beautiful lakefront community of Petoskey, Michigan. This year's bands will make you want to dance while performers jam and groove in the entertainment tent, located in the Ed White Ballfield.

Friday's music starts at 5:00 p.m. with Jelly Roll Blues Band, a longstanding favorite band of locals and tourists featuring blues, rock, jazz, and swing. At 7:00 p.m, the ever-popular Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band will perform. Charlie's Root Fusion takes the stage at 8:30 p.m and covers a lot of ground including old school blues, rockabilly, swamp boogie funk, cowboy country and their originals.

Blues-rock guitarist Larry McCray returns to the Festival on the Bay stage at 10:00 p.m on Friday. Larry McCray is one of a handful of talented blues performers leading the genre across boundaries and into the new century. McCray's savage blues-rock guitar and warm, soulful vocals have drawn attention worldwide. His career highlight was when he was honored as the Orville Gibson 2000 Male Blues Guitarist of the Year.

Music will start at noon on Saturday with Dj J2xtrubl (JDouble Trouble) playing all kinds of grooves from Motown to today's hits. At 2:00 p.m, Jamie and the Juveniles will play a great selection of music that will entertain and inspire. At 3:15 p.m, The Hand Me Downs, an organic roots group that is lead by husband and wife with a infusion of county, folk, reggae and rock, will take the stage. Another local favorite, The Galactic Sherpas from Boyne City, will jam for the crowd at 4:30 p.m.

The music will continue on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. with the Natural Born Suspects, a newly formed rock group with an epic rhythm section, edgy guitars and sultry vocals. The Push will perform at 7:15 p.m and we welcome back this local favorite high energy and talented band that always pushes the crow to the dance floor. At 8:45 p.m., Dixie Hustler takes the stage and rekindles the memories of when rock bands played real rock and roll music and the hard working blue collar class that made this country.

Brent James and the Contraband will perform Saturday night at 10:15 p.m. Classic rock influenced with a modern rock twist, shook up and poured into a shot glass full of groove, this band sets the standard in performances. With the slick soulful sounds of Brent James to the pure groove of the Contraband, you will understand why this band has opened for such greats as Billy Squier, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Whitesnake, just to name a few.

Admission to the Entertainment Tent will be $2 per adult per day (children are free) or buy a festival button for $5 for the entire weekend.

Festival on the Bay is an event for the whole family with great music, fun children's activities and challenging competitive events. For more information, contact the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce at (231) 347-4150 or visit http://www.petoskeyfestival.com