The 11th annual Boogie on the Bricks will feature 13 performances on two stages, wine and cider options for the first time, and a bounce house in the Kids Zone.
Court Street is shutting down Saturday for people all over to dance across Athens’ bricks.
The 11th annual Boogie on the Bricks kicks off Saturday at noon and continues until 11 p.m. The free event includes 13 performances on two stages, a beer garden, a Kids Zone and art and merchandise vendors.
“I love the event,” said Judy Wymer, the coordinator, president and CEO of Boogie on the Bricks. “It’s really fun to dance in the street and listen to some amazing music, eat some great food and have a craft beer or your favorite beverage while you hang out with your friends.”
The daylong lineup includes local bands, such as Bright at Night, a returning duo from Nashville, Tennessee and a reunion show from Elemental Groove Theory, an eclectic rock band.
“I try not to book the same band two years in a row just to really get a good mix,” Wymer said. “That way, we’re not the same event every year.”
Because there will be a 30-minute changeover between each act, it’s possible to see a part of each performance taking place, Wymer said.
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The Kids Zone opens at 12:30 p.m. and will include arts and crafts, games, music activities and a bounce house.
Alcohol is not allowed in the Kids Zone or on the sidewalk, Wymer said, but attendees of legal age can drink in the beer garden on Court Street. For the first time, wine and a gluten-free cider options are available.
“We want people to drink responsibly,” she added. “It’s a very family-friendly event, and we want to keep it that way.”
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Channing and Quinn, a “quirky, folk and pop” duo is returning to Boogie on the Bricks for a second time after playing at the festival in 2013, said member Channing Lee.
In 2013, the duo made it on stage following a thunderstorm. While the street was flooding with water, the crowd still seemed engaged, Lee said.
“They were such troopers. They didn’t even care about the weather or anything like that,” she said. “They were really out there just to appreciate music. I feel like towns like Athens are so special because there is such a creative kind of vibe in that town.”
The duo enjoyed performing in Athens and viewing a “broad spectrum” of music and the atmosphere of the festival, Lee added.
“Any time a town shuts down one of their main streets, I feel like that’s special,” Lee said. “Rather than just having it in a park or open field, it really draws in all the businesses, restaurants, bars and everything. I think that adds an excitement to it.”
Unlike previous years, free parking will not be available at the city’s parking garage on East Washington Street due to preparations for major renovations. Instead, parking in the garage will cost 75 cents per hour, Wymer said. Parking on the street will still be available.
The festival has been growing and is becoming an event for all of southeast Ohio, Wymer said. It’s common to see people from all parts of Ohio returning for the festival.
“It’s a great excuse to come back to visit Athens,” Wymer said.
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