The City of Westland has announced the return of the Blues, Brews & Barbecue, the biggest and most anticipated summer bash in all Western Wayne County, on Aug. 2-3, 2024, at Thomas H. Brown Central Park located at 36601 Ford Rd.

This festival celebrates slick blues music, good ol’ authentic BBQ and ice-cold domestic draft brews. With family friendly sights and sounds and free of charge, metro Detroiters are encouraged to attend and make a weekend of it.

“This is the City of Westland’s most anticipated event of the year, drawings thousands of visitors from across the state”, stated Mayor Coleman. “This year’s event is bigger and better than ever and I invite everyone to join us for spectacular weekend that promises an unforgettable experience for the entire family.”

Blues, Brews & Barbecue features a stellar lineup of 30 live performances and some of the region’s finest barbecue vendors and food trucks, all in one location. Beer enthusiasts will appreciate the extensive selection of domestic and craft brews available in the event’s massive beer tent.

Friday’s event concludes with an unforgettable Drone Light Show, while Saturday’s finale is a mesmerizing fireworks display.

BLUES | Live Music
The festival will showcase a diverse lineup of blues artists, including performances by guitarist Eric Gales, whose album “Crown” was nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2022, and Selwyn Birchwood, an award-winning American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Florida. Birchwood won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge (2013) and its Albert King Guitarist of the Year award.

Other notable musicians and musical acts include Laith Al Saadi, a beloved figure in Michigan’s music scene and a 2016 finalist of NBC’s “The Voice,” and Herb the Artist, an eclectic singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist renowned for his genre-blending performances. They will grace the stage on Friday. Saturday's lineup features Eliza Neals, a dynamic blues-rock singer-songwriter, and the Gabriel Brass Band, an energetic New Orleans-style jazz group, among others. Attendees can expect a mix of blues, rock, jazz and more throughout the weekend.

2024 BLUES, BREW AND BARBEQUE MUSIC SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, AUG. 2

Soaring Eagle Stage
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sky Covington ft. Club Crescendo (Blues/Jazz)
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Herb The Artist (R&B)
7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Laith Al Saadi (Blues)
9:15 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. Eric Gales (Blues)
10:45 p.m. Drone Show

Westland DDA Family Stage
4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Amazing Clark Magic Show
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Kids Music with Kevin Devine
5:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Amazing Clark Magic Show
6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Kids Music with Kevin Devine

Westland DDA DJ Stage | After Dark
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. DJ Head (Rhythmic/Pop)
9:00 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. Joshua Adams (80s/90s Party Jams)

SATURDAY, AUG. 3

Soaring Eagle Stage
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Further Adventures of Fatboy & Jive Turkey (Blues/Folk)
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. The Paxton/Spangler Band (Jazz/Funk)
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Gabriel Brass Band (New Orleans Brass)
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Big Timmy and the Heavy Chevys (Blues/Funk/Soul)
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Drey Skonie and the kLouds Band (Pop/R &B)
7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Eliza Neals (Blues/Rock)
9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Selwyn Birchwood (Blues)
10:30 p.m. Fireworks Show

Westland DDA Family Stage
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Juggler Tim Salisbury
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Cool Tricks & Funny Stuff Magic Show
12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Natspinz Hula Hoops
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Juggler Tim Salisbury
2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Cool Tricks & Funny Stuff Magic Show
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Natspinz Hula Hoops
3:35 p.m.– 4:15 p.m. Beatbox Jake
4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Juggler Tim Salisbury
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Cool Tricks & Funny Stuff Magic Show
5:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Natspinz Hula Hoops
6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Beatbox Jake

 
Westland DDA DJ Stage | After Dark
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. DJ Ruiz (Variety)
9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. VDJ Katalist (Electronic/Funk/Soul/80s)

THE BARBECUE & OTHER TASTY TREATS
Some of the best barbecue in town will be featured by professional pit-masters such as Heaven on a Roll, Old Dad’s BBQ and Hogz Backyard. Festivalgoers can enjoy a variety of other cuisines, too, including Mexican, Italian, and carnival favorites like elephant ears, ensuring there's something to satisfy every palate.

The 2024 Food Line-Up includes:

Chubz Smoke House
Detroit Mini Donut
DK Cuisine
Emalia's Guac & Roll
Famous Daves
Harvest Kettle Corn
Heaven On A Roll
Hogz Backyard BBQ
Linda's Real Fruit Slushies
Mr. Pitmaster
Old Dad's BBQ
Uncle Bo's BBQ

ADDITIONAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Drone Light Show & Fireworks
Each night will conclude with a spectacular finale. A drone light show will take place at 10:45 p.m. Friday evening, and the biggest fireworks display in Westland's history will light up the sky at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Brews | Beer Tent
The event will feature a massive beer tent with a wide variety of brews to enjoy. Options include domestic beers like Michelob Ultra, Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light, as well as craft selections such as Fat Tire, Landshark, Kona Big Wave, Blake's Triple Jam Cider, Jai Alai, Golden Road Mango and Hoop Tea.

Barbecue Competition
BBQ enthusiasts can look forward to a barbecue competition, where the “3 Best BBQ'ers” will be awarded plaques. The first-place winner will have the distinct honor of having their name engraved on the City Hall trophy. Voting starts at 5 p.m. Friday and concludes at
8 p.m. Saturday, with the winners being announced on stage.

Kids Fun Zone
The Kids Fun Zone promises a vibrant array of activities and interactive entertainment designed especially for children. Young attendees can look forward to exhilarating inflatables, creative arts and crafts, captivating magic shows, live music and more. With a wide variety of fun-filled options, kids of all ages are sure to be entertained and delighted.

Event Hours, Location and Parking
Festival hours are 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, with Drone Show at 10:45 p.m. and
11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, with fireworks at 10:30 p.m.

Thomas H. Brown Central Park is located at 36601 Ford Rd. The event is conveniently located on Ford Road with ample shade and easy walking distance from Tattan Park. Limited parking is available and free shuttle service will run throughout the day every 15 minutes from the parking lots at John Glenn High School, William D. Ford Vocational Technical School and Senior Friendship Center.

The event admission and parking are free.

Please note that pets (except service animals), outside food or beverages and soliciting will not be permitted.

Sponsors
Westland Blues Brews & BBQ is grateful for the generous direct financial support from the following sponsors, which include Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, City of Westland Downtown Development Authority (DDA), North Brothers Ford, Buccilli Group, LLC, Westside Beer Distributors, Bidigare Contractors, Inc, Priority Waste, Olsen Cement Work and Construction, PPM Tree Service & Arbor Care, LLC, Michigan Lottery, Faygo, VIP Auto Repair, Public Service Credit Union, Wayne-Westland Federal Credit Union, Hennessey Engineers, Ritter GIS, Wayne County Community College District, Highland Landscape & Snow Plow, Oak Street Health and Schoolcraft College.