Music at the 38th Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival

Music at the 38^th Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival includes John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band on July 22 and Other Local Bands

For Immediate Release: July 5, 2016

For more information or photos:

Contact Ramaker Communications at 401.539.0022

or balloonfest@ramakercommunications.com

Music at the 38^th Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival includes John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band on July 22 and Other Local Bands

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, the legendary East Coast Rock ‘n Roll group inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2012, will return to the stage to open the 38^th Annual South County Hot Air Balloon Festival on Friday, July 22, 2016, rain or shine. Their performance will begin at 6:30 pm and continue through the brilliant “Balloon Glow” at the URI Athletic Fields on Route 138 in Kingston.

Performing now for over forty years, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band originally began in Narragansett and quickly established a huge following up and down the Northeast coast, particularly

in beach resort towns from Misquamicut to Cape Cod. They continue to draw a large audience each year for the opening night of this iconic South County event.

On Sunday, July 24, three local and distinctive bands will perform throughout the afternoon.

On the schedule from 11:00 to 1:00, the Narragansett group, Squelch, will share their multi-genre rock cover band style

Newport’s reggae-inspired band, The Ravers, take the stage from 1:00 to 3:00.

The final band from Providence, Roz & The Rice Cakes, will offer their special experimental and alternative rock sound from 3:00 to 5:00.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wakefield, the South County Hot Air Balloon Festival runs July 22-24. Balloons are scheduled to inflate, weather permitting, at dusk on Friday and Saturday evenings, and at dawn on Saturday and Sunday mornings. When the balloons are on the field, tethered rides sill be available for purchase. Between the balloon visits, a wide variety of activities and food vendors will be on the field to provide something for every visitor, including carnival rides, free train rides for the kids, arts & craft vendors, special performances all weekend by “The Canon Lady”, and the 5^th Annual Rhode Island BBQ Competition. Fireworks are scheduled for Saturday night.

Festival hours are Friday from 4-9 pm, Saturday from 11 am -10 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 6 pm. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 14 and under. Family admission (for two parents and children) is $25. Parking is free. RV camping is available on site. All net proceeds are donated to the local charities and organizations supported by the Rotary Club of Wakefield.

For more information and festival event schedules, visit www.southcountyballoonfest.com