Rhythm and Ribs Returns This Friday

One of the great things about summertime is the seemingly endless possibilities when it comes to food and music. Concerts and food trucks are in no short supply, especially here in Pulaski. We always try to host a variety of musical groups at The Marketplace every Tuesday, and the food options are always changing every week. But every now and then, there's one event that stands above the rest in terms of content and quality. This week, that event is the 5th annual Rhythm and Ribs Festival held in Jackson Park, hosted by the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley.

From 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., Jackson Park will come alive with the sound of music and the mouthwatering smell of fresh barbecue. Being the 5th annual Rhythm and Ribs, this event is no stranger to our residents and out-of-town attendees. But even if this were its inaugural appearance, the festival is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Barbecue is great on its own, but when you add some soulful music into the mix, it starts to sound a bit tastier. The Fine Arts Center has an incredible lineup planned for Friday, with four amazing musical groups planning to provide festival goers with a variety of music. Hoppie Vaughan and The Ministers of Soul will be providing their soulful rhythm and blues sound, while Becki and the Boom Booms will wow the crowd with their sultry approach to blues, jazz and rock. If that's not enough of the blues and jazz to convince you, Victor Lawson and the Boogie Chillen Band will be bringing their fantastically crafted sound as well, playing more jazz, blues and a bit of country and funk as well. Rounding out the bands making an appearance, the Billy Crawford Band are bringing their skills on the blues guitar, along with their saxophone, bass and drums.

And while the music alone would be enough for a great day, the food will put it over the top. Food city and 3 Leigh Barbecue will be providing most of what we're all excited for; the barbecue! A few food trucks will also be present; Snack Time will have your small sweets and snack foods, and Suzie's Funnel Cakes will have the perfect dessert to eat while you kick back and listen to the music. Finally, Our Pig Skins and Pork Rinds, a frequent at The Marketplace, will be selling bags of their signature crunchy pork rinds. And you're bound to get thirsty, so stop by the "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere" beer tent for something to wash down your barbecue.

Altogether, Rhythm and Ribs sounds like one of those events that you'd be kicking yourself over if you missed it. Again, it's all happening from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. so you've got all day to stop by and enjoy the music and food. And remember to thank the Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley for continuing to host this event. We're grateful, and we're sure you will be too! We'd also like to thank everyone helping to sponsor the event this year; The Southwest Times, Gardner's Pawn Shop, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Virginia Eagle Distributing, all of us here at the Town of Pulaski, and a few of our local businesses.

Music Schedule:

11:30 a.m. - Victor Lawson & Boogie Chillen
2:30 p.m. - Becki & the Boom Booms
5:00 p.m. - Hoppie Vaughan & The Ministers of Soul
7:30 p.m. - The Billie Crawford Band