It poured briefly yesterday afternoon, but otherwise, we’ve had a drying trend for over a week, with lower humidity. The afternoon temperatures have crept up, but the weather has been simply beautiful, the kind of weather that just makes you glad that you are alive and here to see it.
The Blues & Barbecue Festival is this coming weekend. Friday, there is a blues pub crawl in downtown Blue Ridge, and the festival itself starts at noon on Saturday. In my opinion, it’s our best event. See below for details and some “if you go” tips. I’ve been told that the Buckner Brothers Band will be on the Blues Train, and that they will play downtown afterwards. The location has not been pinned down yet. I’ve heard that band, and they’re good. They play a good mix of classic blues and period rock – Van Morrison and similar artists. I haven’t heard most of the bands that will be playing the festival this year, but I last time I heard the Buckner Brothers, they were easily the equal of any of the festival bands I’ve heard.
The Black Sheep restaurant is open, and is doing a land office business. I haven’t been there to eat yet, but the space they’ve created is impressive. In other restaurant news, I was told incorrectly that Tim Richter was opening a steak and seafood place in the old Hungry House location, up behind the CVS. There is a steak and seafood place there now, but it doesn’t seem to be Tim’s.