Published: June 26, 2009 01:49 pm      

Northside Christian Church hosting two-day Blues, Cruise & BBQ event in Floyd County

Music and BBQ

Enjoy listening to good blues music and eating delicious barbecue on a hot, summer day?

Northside Christian Church may have exactly what you are looking for.

The church will host Blues, Cruise & BBQ tonight and Saturday. Not only will the event offer patrons great barbecue, but it also will feature music from area blues bands from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. tonight and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

“We think it’s going to be lots of fun,” said Northside church member and event volunteer Laurie Haag.

Haag said she expects between 5,000 and 6,000 people to attend the two-day event.

Friday also will be Bike Night, while Saturday will feature a Cruise-In Car Show. There will be a children’s play area, too.

The band The Living Proof will kick things off tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. and the Travelin Mojos will follow from 8 to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, The Boogie Men play from 9 to 11 a.m.; Lamont Gillespie and 100 Proof Blues will be on stage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Da Mudcats will close things out from 1 to 3 p.m.

Haag said church member Kevin Manring, operator of Juicy Butts BBQ, had the idea and church officials were open to hosting the event.

“That’s one thing that is really neat about our church, they are very supportive of the members,” she said. “He [Manring] wanted to do the event and the church thought it would be excellent for the community.”

There is another part of the weekend event. Pro barbecue chefs and amateurs will compete for awards and prize money in the Indiana State Championship BBQ cookoff. The winning amateur team will earn a bid to the Hoosier Daddy BBQ Contest during Harvest Homecoming weekend.

Manring said 28 teams are signed up for this weekend’s event. He said Kansas City judges will be on hand to pick the winners. Manring’s Juicy Butts BBQ will supply dinners for $5 during the festivities.

Manring competes on the BBQ cooking circuit and said he knew of some “good local grillers” who wanted to compete against the pros. He said judging will begin at noon Saturday.

“We’re tickled to death with all the competitors we have coming in,” he said.



SO YOU KNOW

• Northside Christian Church — located at 4407 Charlestown Road in New Albany — will host Blues, Cruise & BBQ tonight and Saturday on the church grounds. The event is free and includes live music from 6 to 10 p.m. tonight and 9 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Food will be available for purchase. Organizers will be collecting canned goods for area food pantries during the event.

To learn more, go to www.bluescruiseandbbq.com