2016 Beatles At The Ridge Festival Sept. 16-17 in Downtown Walnut Ridge
2016 Beatles At The Ridge Festival Sept. 16-17 in Downtown Walnut Ridge
The sixth annual Beatles at the Ridge music festival hits downtown Walnut Ridge , Ark. , Sept. 16 & 17. Two days of music, contests and exhibits, a symposium of Beatles experts, plus a wing cookoff are highlights of the festival.
Beatles at the Ridge opens Friday, Sept. 16, with the widely acclaimed Beatles Symposium. The event kicks off with a meet and greet reception with authors and artists at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at The Studio, at the corner of Main Street and Abbey Road. Presentations begin at 5:30.
Featured authors, Ivor Davis, who toured with The Beatles in 1964 and wrote the book “The Beatles and Me on Tour,” and Jude Southerland Kessler of “The John Lennon Series,” headline the symposium this year.
Also featured are authors Lanea Stagg of “The RecipeRecords Cookbook Series” and “Little Dog in the Sun”; Sara Schmidt, host/researcher for MeetTheBeatlesForReal.com and author of the new book, “Happiness is Seeing the Beatles: Beatlemania in St. Louis ;” and Aaron Krerowicz, author of “Days in the Life.”
Artists include Ken Orth, a collector who has created a unique exhibit called “Meet the Look Alikes;” Lisa Harp, antique button jewelry; and Rande Kessler who has created 4 mixed media sculptures depicting each of The Beatles for the fest, along with the “Doors of Liverpool” art posters and hand-sketched Beatles t-shirts.
Symposium presentations are free of charge on Friday night and all day Saturday in The Studio.
Kicking of the music for the weekend will be Deadwood Grove, who will take the First National Bank Beatles Park Stage at 6:00 p.m. Friday, followed by Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s events begin at 9 a.m. on the Beatles Park stage with the ATF Martial Arts Board Break, followed by performances by Marilyn’s Clogging Company, Gateway & Delta Fusion Cloggers and Studio H Dance Company. The ninth annual Nuttin’ But Talent show begins at 2 p.m.
Also Saturday will be the first annual Rockin’ Wings at the Ridge Cookoff. Cooking begins at 10 a.m., and the finished wings will be available for spectators to purchase at 2:35 p.m.
The British Car Show & Shine will be on Abbey Run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the Car Show People’s Choice Trophy Awarded as the finale.
Octopus Garden for Kids will be open with a rock-climbing wall, Jurassic Adventure Land , Giant Wave Slide, Obstacle Xtreme and Dino Bounce.
The Rock n’ Roll Hwy. Stage opens at noon Saturday with the dog costume contest, followed by performances by Lauren Richmond, Arkansas Brothers, Jeffrey & The Pacemakers, The Brandon Cunning Band, the winner of the Nuttin’ But Talent music division, and at 7:30 p.m. the highly acclaimed Liverpool Legends.
In addition to local eateries, there will be many food vendors that offer pizza, barbecue, sandwiches and funnel cakes among other festival staples.
There will be free admission, free parking, and free entertainment. For more information on the Beatles at the Ridge festival, visit beatlesattheridge.com .
Jackie Snapp
jsnapp2441@sbcglobal.net
TheHotelRhea.com
BeatlesAtTheRidge.com
