By Caroline Roosevelt
Contributing Writer

Under a bright summer sky at Anson B. Nixon Park, the second annual Roots and Blues Festival was held on August 9. Normally, an early August outdoor celebration can be a coin toss around these parts, given that our region experiences exceptionally hot and damp conditions as we march into the fall.

The heat of the music that was heard, however, became a plethora of cool vibes.

My friends and I brought some picnic chairs and a blanket and stretched out on the grass prepping for an afternoon of great music, libations (thanks to the Jerk Shack, Kona Ice, Chadds Ford Winery, Braeloch, and a great hot dog stand) and relaxation.

The park boasts a great repertoire of musical festivals, including the Summer Concert Series (created by the late Dennis Melton), and their past Rock the Park Festival. While buzz is still building for the new Roots and Blues Festival, this event stands out from the rest as something new that focuses on the tradition of the blues that also provides an opportunity to bridge community gaps and bring music aficionados together to enjoy a genre of music so embedded in the American story.

I settled in with a glass of wine from Chadds Ford Winery for the Street Beans set. Street Beans originated at the Lancaster Market, and like many great bands before them, Street Beans got their start as a group of buskers. The band included Connor Devlin on sousaphone, Rory Rush on drums, Avery Mote on auxiliary percussion and drums, Alby White on guitar, Dom Mascaro on trombone, Owen Thorndike on trumpet Jon Jed on the saxophone, with Rachel Bowman tearing it up on vocals.

At times, their music reminded me of ska, with an influx of the spoken word and jazz, but it never failed to remain always lively, full of zest and filling the air with positive vibes. Rachel Bowmans’ vocals dominated the stage and demanded our attention. Street Beans are constantly travelling up and down the East Coast, sharing their gift and welcoming crowds of music goers into their electrifying, rebellious brand of brass music.

The Festival also hosted musicians on the Cafe Stage, one of the pavilions which had been repurposed for the occasion. As Street Beans finished up, Anson B. Nixon Park Board President and MC John Gaadt seamlessly introduced us to the next act on the Cafe Stage, The Dukes of Destiny.

With a pared down set more focused on the traditions of blues, The Dukes of Destiny have already made a name for themselves since the 1980s. I refreshed my glass, grabbed a hot dog, and made my way over to the Cafe Stage. The late afternoon sun, so much more forgiving than usual for August, filtered through the leaves and the crowd swayed to that 4/4-time signature blues beat.

Finally, the headliner and Philly blues favorite Mikey Junior took the Main Stage. Junior, who is a quickly rising star in the east coast blues scene played several songs from his catalog, including his 2024 album, Traveling North. He also treated the audience to yet to be released work for an upcoming album.

As the sun waned on a beautiful day at the park, I lay back on my picnic blanket, appreciating that I’d taken part in a unique event which supports our town’s flourishing park. I look forward to the third annual Roots and Blues Fest as I see this event picking up steam with each passing year.