On Saturday, Porter County Parks and Recreation celebrated its annual Prairie Magic Music Festival at beautiful Sunset Hill Park and gave residents a show to remember and a night of music and fun. The festival was a celebration of rock, bluegrass, folk and Americana music and gave families a chance to get out and enjoy not just the music, but also the great food, craft beer, games and even bounce houses for the kids.
Five bands performed including: The Blues Project, a Ben Franklin Middle School project started by Scott Cvelbar who likes to teach the kids about American Blues before his performance. This band is comprised of professional musicians, students and former students who have participated in the program. Other bands included The Crawpuppies, Foster, Ross & Young, The Planetary Blues Band and Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra out of Chicago.
An estimated 250 people showed up to take in the music and enjoy some food and beverages as well as the magnificent natural atmosphere of Sunset Hill Park. Bartlett’s and Valpo Velvet food trucks served food for festival goers and Pikk’s Tavern even provided a Beer Garden.
Attendee Cathy Brown-Brown had a great time at the festival, “This was such an amazing time! Great music, delicious vendors, fun people, and we are blessed to have such a wonderful park in our community!” she said.
Kids and parents alike got their faces painted, made enormous bubbles, and children played a giant lawn connect-four in between furiously hopping the day away inside a bouncy house castle and taking in the music.
Attendees even had the option this year of sleeping under the stars and camping out after the festival for only $5.00 for ticket holders.
Sponsors were: Thorgren Industries, Enbridge, Metro Recycling, Century 21 Affiliated, Coastal Valley Water Company, Ideas In Motion Media, The Times Media Company, Indiana Dunes Tourism, Simko Signs, Valpo Velvet, BoyConn Printing, and D. Cohn Communications.
Proceeds went to benefit the Blues Project and the Porter County Parks Foundation. Photos Courtesy of Darlene Cohn and Anna Hanson