Live music lovers will have the chance to experience the Siloam Springs Music Festival for the first time in seven years this weekend at the Siloam Springs Heritage Festival.
The Siloam Springs Music Festival will be an all day event at the Heritage Festival beginning at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, according to producer Mark Barnett. All performances will be held at the Chautauqua Amphitheater, located behind the library, Barnett said.
Performers include the Siloam Springs Community Band and Siloam Springs Community Choir; Bluegrass players Ron Pennington and Roby Pantall; Kim Hayes, a local professional who sings with the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Alaska Chamber Singers; vocalists Becky Riggs; Adam Goff and Rayce Coyle and Dan Phillips the worship and arts director for First United Methodist Church, Barnett said.
Highlights will include a variety show in the afternoon, featuring the Community Choir and the last concert will feature most of the performers of the day except for Pennington and Pantall, Barnett said.
The closing number will be a Big Band rendition of "America the Beautiful" by Hayes, followed by the famous Wilhousky arrangement of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," Barnett said.
Originally started in 2012, the Siloam Springs Music Festival gave local musicians who did not have a venue to perform in a chance to showcase their talents, Barnett said.
Over a three-year period the Siloam Springs Music Festival held numerous concerts until Barnett's parents-in-law in Lawrence, Kan., got sick and passed. Barnett moved to Kansas after inheriting their property.
Barnett said he is now semi-retired and decided a year ago to restart the Siloam Springs Music Festival. Rebecca Clenenden, the executive director of the Siloam Springs Heritage Foundation, reached out to Barnett to hold the music festival at the Heritage Festival, Barnett said.
Instead of reaching out to only a few musicians and rotating their performances, Barnett reached out to 100 to 200 musicians and managed to recruit 80 musicians ranging from high school age to senior citizens, he said.
"What better way to support the community than by having local musicians," Barnett said.
Barnett said the best part about participating in the Heritage Festival is knowing the rich heritage Siloam Springs has. When asked if Barnett will participate in next year's Heritage Festival, he said the music festival would be involved in it in some way.
For a schedule and more information go to siloammusicfestival.com.