After four and a half weeks touring in the frigid Northwest United States, Woody Pines is excited to heat up Athens for the fifth-annual Boogie on the Bricks Saturday.
The event marks the last stop on the ragtime country blues band's tour, and in the town where the group got its start, said member Jonathan Woods.
Ever since I started playing in Athens
it's always been great says Woods, whose band plays under his stage name. Athens has been great to us.
Woody Pines is one of six acts performing at Boogie on the Bricks, a free, one-day street festival on North Court Street between Washington and State Streets. The event was started by the Athens Uptown Bus Association to bring more people uptown in the summer - and typically brings in 7,000-8,000 people, said coordinator Ric Wasserman.
It's a festival that's targeted at the permanent residents of Athens ... because a lot of those folks don't come uptown when (Ohio University) students are here Wasserman said. It's a way to showcase what's going on uptown.
Local rock-and-soul band The Royales has headlined Boogie on the Bricks since its start.
We all live here
so it's our community that we're playing for
said guitarist John Borchand. It's a great time for people to kind of all come out together and have a nice time out on Court Street.
Boogie on the Bricks will feature beer on tap all day, as well as food and local vendors on the street. Athens County Children Services will also sponsor a kids' play area.
Any festival that brings life to a downtown is great
Woods said. It's always nice playing outside and having our music echoing down the street.
The entertainment will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday with childrens' group Chip and the Munks.
al106606@ohiou.edu
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Culture
Amanda Lucci
