Image from the World's Longest-Running Cigar Box Guitar Festival - Huntsville, Alabama Facebook page
The 19th annual is this weekend in Huntsville, spanning over three days for the first time.
Known as the World’s Longest-Running Cigar Box Guitar Festival, the family-friendly event is free to the public and raises money for music in schools.
The festival begins Friday at 7 p.m. with its Kick-Off Concert at Salty Nut Brewery, followed by an all-day musical event on Saturday at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment, and concludes with a Sunday brunch featuring live music at BeeZr.
Jeff Mello and Tara Mello, the festival’s organizers, say that the festival will have seven different acts playing different genres, including blues, rock, soul, gospel, roots music and something called "backwoods country blues with a dose of desert rock psychadelia."
The full schedule with more details is below:
Friday:Â Kick-Off Concert with Triple Threat Blues
When: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Where: Salty Nut Brewery
Triple Threat Blues features:
- 2022 Independent Blues Awards & 2023 UK Blues Awards Nominee Debbie Bond
- Carroline Shines, daughter of Blues legend Johnny Shines
- Huntsville's own Microwave Dave
- "Radiator" Rick Asherson on keys and harmonica
- Darrell Tibbs on drums.
At this event, there is a $10 per person suggested donation. All proceeds are donated to the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation and Arts Huntsville’s Creative Launchpad.
³§²¹³Ù³Ü°ù»å²¹²â:Ìý19th Annual Music Festival
When: All dayÂ
Where: Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
Full lineup:
- 11:30 Music & Magic with PBS Children's Entertainer Steve Trash
- 12:00 Kids Activity Area opens...Build 5 recycled instruments & perform on stage at 3:00
- 1:30 Soul, Gospel and a sprinkling of Country with The Breedloves
- 3:00 Junior Junk Jam and Giveaway of Junior Guitar
- 3:15 Backwoods country blues with a dose of desert rock psychedelia from Hymn for Her
- 4:30 Groove and Soul of New Orleans The Cigar Box Serenaders
- 5:30 Free West Coast Swing dance lesson from Rocket Westies. No experience required.
- 5:45 Rock, Roots and Blues with Meg Williams & Travis Bowlin
- 7:00 Giveaway of #1 the commemorative 19th Anniversary cigar box guitar
- 7:00 Lukas Jam & The 106ers featuring the Studio Family
Sunday:Â Jazz Brunch with The Cigar Box Serenaders
When: Brunch is from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m, Music is from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Where: BeeZr
Reservations are recommended for the Jazz Brunch. Reservations can be made by calling 938-200-1969.
The festival's organizers are also owners of , the only store of its kind in the world, located at Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment. Jeff Mello and Tara Mello became the organizers of the festival after purchasing the store from the Nickel family 2.5 years ago.
