Bean Blossom to host 10th annual Blues Brews & BBQ

Three to four thousand music lovers will come together amidst the scenic campgrounds of the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park in Brown County this weekend for three days of music, food and festivities at the 10th annual Blues, Brews & BBQ, also known as the Bean.

“It’s a really fun and relaxed atmosphere,” said founder and organizer John Hall. “A lot of people consider the Bean their most fun weekend of the year. There is a spirit of freedom and fun.”

Though the festival originally began as a place for harmonica players around the country to come together, it eventually opened for the public and now brings a mix of attendees from as far as Australia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, California and Florida.

Though there is still a heavy presence of harmonica music, Hall said they accept all kinds of music as long as it is good.

This year, 11 artists and groups will perform, including Sam Lay and Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, both 2008 Blues Music Awards winners, and the 2008 international Blues Challenge winner, Trampled Under Foot. While the shows do not officially start until Friday night, attendees will be arriving early and staying late to play music with one another.

“The music is unbelievable, both onstage and off at the campfire jam,” Hall said.

Hall added that when choosing the lineup for each year, he tries to find the best harmonica players but also recruits musicians from other genres. To decide which performers to secure for the weekend, Hall takes suggestions from attendees.

“We listen to what our attendees tell us they want,” he said.

In addition to three nights of music and camping, the Bean offers an Indiana State BBQ Competition. The tastiest barbecue receives a grand prize of $8,000. A wine tasting will occur Friday night, followed by a beer tasting on Saturday night.