The Jewel City Jamboree is taking place June 5-7 at Harris Riverfront Park.
This is the Jamboree’s first year, and it will showcase talent from Huntington and other acts from around the country.
Huntington City Councilman Dave Ball had a hand in getting the festival up and running. Councilman Ball said the Harris Riverfront Park should be utilized.
“We are the fifth largest city on the Ohio River,” Ball said. “We have an outstanding riverfront and it needs to be made an attraction that can bring business and revenue to that side of the floodwall.”
Ball said he regularly attended the Appalachian Uprising festival in Ohio and thought because the festival ended, the dates that it left opened needed to be captured.
“This all started one Tuesday morning after a city council meeting,” Ball said. “So I went to the mayor, and in his best Jean Luc Picard voice, he said ‘Make it so.’”
The jamboree boasts a line-up of about 25 artists including The Bing Brothers featuring Jake Krack as the festival’s “host band.”
Other artists include local talent like Mystic Mountain Blueberry, Sasha Collette, Hillbilly Carnival and Big Rock and The Candy Ass Mountain Boys.
Bands have confirmed special guests for different jam sessions throughout the weekend.
“We’ve really got some top drawer entertainment coming in here,” Ball said.
Primitive tent and RV camping will be available with the festival’s Tent City located at the 10th Street entrance of the Riverfront, while the RV and trailer camping will be located by the boat ramp entrance on 12th Street.
The Jewel City Jamboree is 100 percent non-profit. The staff is volunteering its time, and most bands will be playing on a cut rate.
Different booths throughout the fest will allow hands-on moments with some of the instruments the bands play.
A raffle for a Martin Guitar will take place, and all proceeds will go to the Honor Flight Program, an organization that flies Veterans to Washington D.C., completely free, to see monuments which honor their service in past wars.
“We have a purpose,” Ball said. “I think that’s what sets the Jamboree apart from other festivals.” “We’re honoring our veterans, and we’re sharing music that has its roots in Appalachia. If this music isn’t passed on, then it dies.”
Tickets are limited to 3,000 total and can be purchased through the Jamboree’s website.
William Izzo can be contacted at [email protected].