VFW to host blues festival Aug. 9

VFW to host blues festival Aug. 9

FREEHOLD — The Freehold Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4374 and the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation will present the first Old-Fashioned "Horseshoes, Blues Barbecue" Festival on Aug. 9 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the VFW grounds at 50 Waterworks Road.

The day will include a competition overseen by the National Horseshoe Pitching Association; amusement rides for children; food, crafters and music. Admission is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free.

Performers are scheduled to include The Barnburners; Billy Hector and the Acoustical Armada; Kenny "Stringbean" Sorensen and the Stalkers; Joe Zook and the Blues Deluxe; and Supreme Court.

"Our goal each year for the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation is to continue our tradition of providing incredible music in a community festival venue," said Nicky Coppola, president of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation. "Our foundation has been working with VFW Post 4374 to create a new annual family event for Freehold and surrounding communities that will be fun and memorable for everyone."

"We are very excited to work with the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation on this community event," said Michael Mangini, commander of VFW Post 4374. "Our goal for this festival is to build public awareness of our veterans and to raise funds for scholarships and the Vietnam War memorial in Holmdel."

VFW Post 4374 will dedicate its share of the proceeds to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Holmdel and to the Cpl. Michael E. Curtin Scholarship Fund of Howell High School. The fund was established in memory of Curtin, a Howell resident who was killed in the war in Iraq.

For more information log on to www.freeholdfestival.com.