Asleep at the Wheel kicks off the Sweet Pea Festival Friday with Texas swing.
The Sweet Pea Festival, Aug. 5-7, in Bozeman brings a big bouquet of entertainment to Lindley Park, including music, dance and theatre by more than 30 performers. Chalk on the Walk (Aug. 2) and the Bite of Bozeman (Aug. 3) lead up to the giant arts festival.
Kicking off the festival at 6 p.m. Friday is Aubrie Sellers, daughter of country stars Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers. Her influences range from Led Zeppelin to George Jones and Ralph Stanley – a combination that’s been described as “garage country.” The 10-time Grammy-winner Asleep at the Wheel takes the stage at 8 p.m. with its combination of fiddle-fueled blues and Texas Swing.
Saturday evening features songwriter James McMurtry at 6 p.m., who “… fuses wry, literate observations about the world with the snarl of barroom rock.” Next, soak up some high-energy, funk-blasting R&B by Sonny Knight and the Lakers at 8 p.m.
Songwriters Todd Snider, Dave Schools and Duane Trucks from Widespread Panic, Neal Casal of Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Chad Staehly of Great American Taxi and Jesse Aycock comprise the supergroup Hard Working Americans, which takes the stage at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Hollow Wood, Paa Kow, Joshua James, the John Dover Quartet, the Montana Jazz Collective and the Ethan Tucker Band also perform.
And that’s not all: myriad performing arts groups take turns too, including Montana Ballet, Yellowstone Ballet, Mountain Air Dance, Repertory Dance Theatre, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Spontaneous Combustibles, DCYE Live Radio Theatre and more.
Tickets are $15-$30 per day, and $5-$15 for kids (free for 6 and under).
Other festivities include a juried art show, a flower show, the Sweet Pea 5k and 10k run, a parade and abundant children’s activities. Call 586-4003 or visit www.sweetpeafestival.org.