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Saturday in the Park (music festival) facts for kids

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Saturday in the Park is a big yearly festival in Sioux City, Iowa. It takes place at the Grandview Park Municipal Bandshell. The festival started in 1991. It happens on the Saturday closest to the 4th of July. About 50,000 people come from all over the Midwest to enjoy the weekend. People from Sioux City's sister city, Lake Charles, Louisiana, also visit. They bring a fun Mardi Gras and Cajun style to the event.

History of the Festival

Saturday in the Park began in 1991. Two people, Dave Bernstein and Adam Feiges, started it. They wanted to bring a concert to Grandview Park. They felt the park was not being used enough. Since it started, many companies have helped sponsor the festival. These include Chesterman Co., Gateway Inc., and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sioux City.

Awesome Live Music

Saturday in the Park is one of the best festivals in the Midwest. It is famous for its wide mix of music styles. You can find live music playing all day long. There are several stages set up around the park. The festival features both local bands and famous national artists. They play many different types of music. There's a special focus on American roots music. This includes blues, zydeco, and Cajun music. Other styles like Ska are also played.

Many well-known performers have played at the festival. Some of them include Sublime With Rome, The Dirty Heads, Carlos Santana, Steve Winwood, Michael Franti, the Neville Brothers, B.B. King, Ziggy Marley, Dickey Betts and Great Southern, the Allman Brothers Band, Dr. John, Los Lobos, Bob Log III, Shemekia Copeland, Son Seals, Junior Brown, New Monsoon, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, The Wallflowers, The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, Aretha Franklin, Foster the People, Blues Traveler, Manny Phesto, and Duenday.

Besides the main bandshell, there's also the Abe Stage. This stage is near the entrance to Grandview Park. It also has live music during the festival. This stage often features local and alternative music groups. Some big names have played there too. These include Arrested Development, Brother Ali, Sir Mix A Lot, Atmosphere, Fishbone, and Helmet (band).

Other Fun Things to Do

Saturday in the Park offers lots of tasty food. You can try many different dishes from Siouxland restaurants. BBQ and drinks are very popular. There's also Greek and Mexican food. You can find classic carnival treats too. These include corn dogs and funnel cakes.

The festival has other attractions as well. There are carnival rides and games. A special stage just for kids offers entertainment. You can also visit a shopping area. Local artists sell their crafts there. Some years, there are even fireworks!

It's free to get into the festival. However, you cannot bring your own food or coolers. This is because buying from the vendors helps pay for the festival.


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