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Reds, Whites & Blues Festival at Moon Dancer to feature local artists, wine slushies, pizza


If you go

What: Reds, Whites & Blues Festival

When: 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5

Where: Moon Dancer Winery & Cider House, 1282 Klines Run Road, Wrightsville.

Cost: $20: one day (adults); $25: weekend pass (adults); People under 21: $10; Children under 12: free. Tickets can be purchased by calling 252-9463 or at the door.

More info: www.moondancerwinery.com

When Jim Miller opened Moon Dancer Winery & Cider House in 2004, live music was always part of the scene.

Small shows on the winery's patio near the Susquehanna River have since grown into larger music events — such as the annual Reds, Whites & Blues Festival — which will be held for the 11th time this weekend.

The festival will include eight blues acts, Miller said, along with food and drinks such wine slushies, wine sangria and wood-fired pizza. In the past, between 600 to 700 people have attended, with some coming from nearby cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

For the winery, he said, it's a step toward becoming a destination — a place where people can come out and spend an afternoon, instead of just picking up a bottle of wine and leaving.

"It's a beautiful venue with great wine and cider," said Miller, who also serves as the winemaker for Moon Dancer Winery & Cider House, in Wrightsville. "If people haven't been here before, once they've been here, they always come back."

John Shot is the bass player for Bob Noble and Blue Voodoo, the band closing out the festival on Sunday night.

Shot, of Lancaster, said the band plays a mix of original blues songs and classic rock music, depending on the crowd. He cited Jimi Hendrix as an influence, and went on to describe Bob Noble and Blue Voodoo's sound as "bluesy and funky."

The group, Shot estimated, has played at the winery six times in the past.

Now, the winery also sells cider. And this year's festival also features some bands that have never played there before.

"It'll be a good time," Shot said. "It's just a nice setting and it's a good place to hear music and have a nice Sunday afternoon."

Lineup

Here's a look at the lineup for this year's event, as well as the approximate start time for their sets:

Saturday, July 4 >>

• Ben Brandt with Tony Cannon: 2 p.m.

• Sly Foxes: 4 p.m.

• Reggie Wayne Morris: 6 p.m.

Hometown: Glen Burnie, Md.

Website: wmband.com

• Chaz Depaolo: 8 p.m.

Hometown: New York are

Website: www.chazdepaolo.com/

Sunday, July 5 >>

• Tarmac Blues: 2 p.m.

• Corty Byron: 4 p.m.

Hometown: Lancaster

Website: www.cortybyron.com

• Clarence Spady: 6 p.m.

Hometown: Scranton

Website: Find Clarence Spady on Facebook

• Bob Noble and Blue Voodoo: 8 p.m.

Hometown: Lancaster/southcentral Pennsylvania

Website: www.bobnobleandbluevoodoo.com