KANKAKEE – Families from across the region came out to Bird Park Band Shell on Saturday for the first annual Pork and Blues Rib Festival. The event, featuring live music and a ribs contest, raised money for repairs on the Bird Park Band Shell and Pavilion, which is in need of a repairs from storm damage and a lack of maintenance over the years.

Darrell Williams, a Kankakee resident and School District 111 board member, coordinated the event.

“It is great seeing so many families come out and take part in an event that gives back to the community,” Williams said. “The funds raised from the Pork and Blues Rib Festival will go a long way in repairing the pavilion that was damaged from storms and has yet to be repaired.”

The event included a performance by Big Dog Mercer, named the 2015 and 2017 Chicago Blues Entertainer of the Year.

“Events such as the Pork and Blues Rib Festival couldn’t be possible without all of the hard work and dedication of our volunteers,” Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong said. “Kankakee is full of residents who want to give back to our community, and that spirit showed this weekend at the festival.”

The festival was hosted by Vernon Wellness Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthier lifestyle choices in the Kankakee community.

Contact Mayor Wells-Armstrong’s office at (815) 933-0500 for more information.

###