Contact: Sarah Oltrogge, 515-281-4011, Sarah.Oltrogge@iowa.gov

DES MOINES – The popular summer blues series Blues Before Sunset returns to the State Historical Building June 3 as part of “East Village Friday Nights.”

Blues Before Sunset (BBS), sponsored by the Iowa Arts Council, the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Historical Foundation, is a weekly, outdoor event from 5-7 p.m. on the State Historical Building southwest terrace at the corner of East Locust and East 6th streets. The event is free and open to the public. Beer, wine, water and soft drinks will be available for sale. Those who attend are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair.

"Blues Before Sunset is a fun and relaxing way to wind down after a long work week," said Gerri Lyon, who attends the event regularly. "I just love to come down to the East Village on Friday nights when there's so much going on."

East Village Friday Nights also includes the East Village Street Market, providing a vast assortment of products including fresh produce, meats, baked goods, flowers, unique arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, prepared food vendors and many other specialty items. The street market will be located on East Locust between E. 5th and E 6th streets and operate from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

East Village Friday Nights featuring Blues Before Sunset and the East Village Street Market will run concurrently June 3-Aug. 5.

The 2005 schedule of Blues Before Sunset bands is:

• June 3: Fat Tuesday & The Greasefire Horns
  (East Village Blooms ‘n’ Blues Festival)
• June 10: No BBS show scheduled - East Village Market runs 4:30-7:30 p.m. with live music by Dick Prall
• June 17: Backstage Boogie Band
• June 24: Steve George and the Other Brothers Band
• July 1: Soul Searchers
• July 8: Randy Burk and the Prisoners
• July 15: Hot Tamale and the Red Hots
• July 22: Taz Band
• July 29: Van and the Movers
• Aug. 5: Blues Bureau

Take a little blues home with you
New this year will be a compilation CD of 2005 Blues Before Sunset feature bands. This professionally produced “signature series” CD represents the best of local blues band talent and can be purchased for $10 at each BBS event or by contacting Frank Strong at 515-314-3843.

East Village Blooms ‘n’ Blues June 3
The fun continues following the conclusion of Blues Before Sunset and the East Village Street Market on June 3 with the East Village Blooms ‘n’ Blues Festival. Live music will play from 7-11 p.m. on the stage at E. 5th and E. Locust streets and feature these local bands: Mr. Baber’s Neighbors, The Soapbox Prophets, The Sonny Humbucker Band and Face April. Village merchants will be open until 9 p.m. and food and drink vendors will be available throughout the evening. For more information on this event, contact Nate Niceswanger at 515-284-1401.

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