June 18-19 will see the return of the region’s premiere “Roots Music and BBQ” festival on Market Street in downtown Mt Carmel.   This year’s Wabash Roots’N’Que Festival will host not only two days of free musical performances on the Harris Pavilion stage and “The Smoke on the Wabash” BBQ competition, but also crafters, artists, a beer tent, several different types of food vendors and free workshops featuring a hosts of instruments and styles of music at the Wabash County Museum.  

 The WRNQ is fortunate to now be an Illinois Arts Council supported arts organization, and the board takes the job seriously.  Already in 2021 the WRNQ has sponsored a cultural music performance at the Mt Carmel Grade School by the Kyilindi Drum and Pipes and hopes to sponsor other educational performances at local schools in the tri-county region later in 2021.  The possibility of further cultural events in the area will of course also depend on the success of the WRNQ festival this year.  The WRNQ board consisting of Dennis Stroughmatt (chairman), Jaleigh Peterson (vice chairman), Terry Beckerman (Secretary), and Jennifer Poland (Treasurer) have worked tirelessly to bring a great festival in hopes that it will inspire more involvement from the community moving forward.   

 The festival will begin on Friday June 18 at 5pm with hometown favorite Alex Hawf, who now resides in Eureka Spring, Arkansas.  Alex will perform in a duo featuring Folk and Bluegrass standards as well as his own compositions.  Alex will be followed by JR Love from the Hannibal, Missouri area with a full band performing a mix of songs in the style of Charley Pride, Freddy Fender and Mel Tillis.  The Woolseys, a Bluegrass band and songwriting winners at North Carolina’s “Merlefest” will follow with a driving blend of traditional and contemporary Bluegrass favorites. Closing the Friday night show at 9pm will be “The Deciders” from Carbondale, IL.  Led by Carbondale Blues legend Robert Russell, this band will take everyone on a journey down the Mississippi River to the Delta and the home of the Blues.    

 Saturday’s events and schedule will be packed with the “backyard” BBQ competition, a local farmer’s market, multiple food vendors and crafters, music at The Harris Pavilion, as well as instrument and cultural music workshops at the Wabash County Museum.  Some of the workshops to be presented this year include The Jason Wells Band’s “History of the Blues,” an introduction to dulcimers by “The Dulcimer Friends” from southern Indiana and southern Illinois, Pedal Steel Guitar by Mike Sweeney from Nashville, TN (former pedal steel player for Ray Price and Vern Gosdin), a Celtic instrument workshop by The Wendell Band, an intro to Bluegrass workshop with Kentucky Just Us, and “Guitar from Scratch” with Rob Krumm and area string wizard Doug Hawf.  Workshops will begin at 11am.  Check the WRNQ Facebook page and website for updates or any schedule changes.   

 Music on Saturday, June 19 at The Harris Pavilion starts at 12pm with the blues sounds of The Jason Wells Band from Indianapolis, IN.  Following at 1:30pm will be the “Silver Dollar City Youth in Bluegrass” winner of 2019, the Kentucky Just Us band from Glasgow, KY.  Local vocalist and 2019 “Emerging Talent” winner Darla Groff Flannery will entertain with a musical mix beginning at 2:30.  From Champaign-Urbana, the aptly named “The Backyard Barbeque Band” featuring Rob Krumm will take the stage around 3:30 featuring Western Swing and traditional Country-Blues.  Following at 5pm will be Nashville, TN’s “Wendell Band” featuring a high octane mix of Celtic-Irish roots music with some of Nashville’s finest young musicians.  At 6:30pm the southern Illinois based Cajun-Zydeco band “Creole Stomp” will take the stage and feature a “gumbo” of New Orleans Mardi Gras Blues mixed with an oldtime “fais do-do” Cajun flair.  And finally, to close out the WRNQ festival at 8pm will be the world renowned Tayla Lynn and her band, from Nashville, TN.  A fan favorite, Tayla will take the stage and perform a rousing tribute to her grandmother, the legendary Loretta Lynn.  

 Attendees to the festival are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, sun screen, and umbrellas.  The 2021 WRNQ Festival will occur “rain or shine” so please plan accordingly.  There will be free parking on the side streets of 4th and 5th streets while the main festival will be held on Market Street.  Just remember: Free Parking, Free Admission and Free Entertainment!  For further info, to be a festival sponsor, or to be a vendor please go to facebook.com/rootsnque and click “send a message.”  The WRNQ can also be reached by going to www. rootsnque.com.