For Immediate Release
Kiwanis Honeybee Committee Announces Downtown Festival Plans
Paris, Ill.— Plans for the Kiwanis-sponsored Honeybee Festival downtown events are currently being finalized. Although some vendor spots are still available (by calling Brian Blair at 217-465-8402), this year’s expanded entertainment has been finalized. The local event has become an excellent source of quality free musical entertainment.
Food. The traditional Kiwanis pancake tent will serve pancakes and sausage on Friday and Saturday mornings, Sept. 28 and 29, from 6 a.m.-1 p.m. Proceeds benefit Kiwanis service projects. Tickets can be purchased from Kiwanis members in advance or at the door. A variety of food vendors will also be set up around the square.
Entertainment. New “bouncy house” activities will be offered for children this year by KAZ Amusements; activities will be located on Wood Street and will include bumper cars. A fee will be charged. Free live musical entertainment will begin on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. with Troy Stone returning to the festival. Stone, who has traveled throughout the United States, presents a high-energy show of classic rock and dance as well as country music.
On Friday two artists will present shows. Chrissy Sparks, a music teacher in Danville, brings her band to the festival from 6–7:15 p.m. She has performed in Central Illinois for more than 30 years, playing with groups such as Western Wheels, the Decatur Park Singers, and Millikin University and Eastern Illinois University jazz bands. She has also performed with the Champaign Country Opry and in a dueling piano show with Nashville’s Tim Atwood.
Sparks will be followed from 7:30-9:30 by the returning, locally-popular, and family-friendly group Battle Creek Country. Their performance includes elements of a Branson Theatre, the Grand Ole Opry, a Texas dance hall, and down-home humor as well as clever original songs and Oldies Rock n’ Roll.
Following the Saturday parade at 11 a.m., entertainment will begin at noon by the Big Fun Band, a compilation of Wabash Valley musicians who are challenged by—and enjoy the addition of—brass professionals. This quality entertainment includes styles of music requiring larger arrangements not found in traditional venues.
Trouble and Company will return to the festival from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Award-winning scatters and vocalists, they play a variety of old rock-and-roll and country, choreographing their own dances. Their performances have included Carnegie Hall, New Orleans, and the Louisville Riverboat. In addition, country singer/songwriter Jake Hoults will perform from 2:45-4:00. He has performed with numerous country classic hit makers. His high-energy show also includes original music, rock and roll, and pop.
Local favorites the Coon Holler Kids will continue the entertainment with their bluegrass music from 4:15-5:45, followed by Frantic Utopia from 6-7:15. This group plays alternative folk rock and a mixture of covers and originals. Dirt Dwellers will follow from 6-7:15, offering a wide range of country with both male and female vocalists. The entertainment will conclude from 9-10:30 p.m. with Mullet Over playing a variety of 80’s classic and some 70’s music.
Sponsors for this year’s entertainment are gratefully acknowledged by the Kiwanis Honeybee Committee: Diamond Sponsor: Prospect Bank; Platinum Sponsor: First Neighbor Bank; Gold Sponsors: First Mid Illinois Bank, Peoples Bank and Trust, and J.L. Hubbard Insurance and Bonds; Silver Sponsor: Longview Bank and Trust and Decatur Earthmover CU. Music sponsors for Lot 50 Brewing are Jones and Griffin Law Offices and Church Insurance.
In addition to the Kiwanis entertainment on the square, the Dave Frisse Band will play at Lot 50 just off the square on Friday from 8-11 p.m.; Stewart Arp’s group will play there on Saturday from 8-11 as will Zorilla, Henry Arp’s band; and Dirt Dwellers will play at the VFW on Sunday at 2 p.m.
For more information on the bands performing, please visit the Honeybee Festival Facebook website at facebook.com/honeybeefestival.
The Kiwanis portion of the Honeybee Festival is planned entirely by volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Paris and its Honeybee Committee. Money raised from Kiwanis-festival events is used to support children, primarily locally, as evidenced by the Kiwanis International theme “Serving the Children of the World.”
