Every spring, the town of Yorktown welcomes visitors from near and far to come together and enjoy local craft beers, homemade barbecue and foot-stomping tunes of jazz, blues and soul. Yet this year, due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic, NoVA travelers had to wait it out until the environment became safe.
But come August, the wait will be over, as the annual Blues, Brews and BBQ will be held on Sunday, Aug. 9 for the third year in a row (originally scheduled for May 2), with new safety measures put in place too.
This year, there are 16 participating breweries, all of which offer craft brews, ciders and ale made right here in Virginia, as well as nearby states like North Carolina. While typically barbecue samples (paired with drinks) are a main hit at the festival, samples will not be available this year to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
As for the musical acts, guests can expect to hear soulful sounds influenced by Chicago-, Memphis-, Piedmont- and Delta-style blues from local band Bobby BlackHat Blues Blasts, as well as the second act, Michael Clark Band, which will have you dancing through their R&B, blues, soul, rock, jazz and funk songs.
This year’s festival will also include a wine garden for the second year in a row, featuring some of Virginia’s most popular grape varieties. Within the wine garden, Hampton Roads resident Phil Poteat will perform live acoustic covers.
To ensure public health safety, all festival staff members will be required to wear masks and also have their temperature taken before beginning work. In addition, there will be increased space between vendors, a limit to the number of ticket sales, frequent disinfectant in high-traffic areas, no food sampling and sanitizing stations placed throughout the outdoor venue.
As uncertainty from the pandemic remains, the event date is still subject to change, so be sure to check out Visit Yorktown’s website for up-to-date information. // 331 Water St., Yorktown; Sunday, Aug. 9, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; $30-$35
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