Friday is the start date to Columbia's Roots N Blues Music Festival at Stephens Lake Park, complete with live music, food and activities.
The annual festival takes place through Sunday.
"This event is one of Columbia's hallmark events. It brings music fans across the country to enjoy it. The impact is very strong with the community," said Megan McConachie with the City of Columbia.
The occasion begins at 4 p.m. Friday with two different stages: MU Health Care Stage and the Equipment Share Stage. Kicking off on the MU stage is Meredith Shaw at 4:30 p.m. along with local favorite The Kay Brothers on the Equipment Share Stage at 5:15 p.m. Other headlining acts to look forward to are Wilco and Tanya Tucker on Friday, Jon Batiste and Chaka Khan on Saturday, and Bleachers, Old Crow Medicine Show and Houndmouth on Sunday.
Along with all the music, there is an abundance of other entertainment. This includes the "Front Porch Stage," which set up right inside the entrance to allow amateur musicians to show off their artistic abilities. If you are into arts, there is also an Arts Village with art installations throughout the festival. There will also be a large Ferris wheel along with games and other activities.
Roots N Blues wouldn't be complete without the food. There will be around 20 food trucks along on site and barbecue vendors from all across Missouri.
On Saturday morning, there will be a half marathon, which includes a 10K and 5K run/walk. The layout of the race will be through Columbia's urban trails and neighborhoods.
The festival has a variety of passes and tickets available. General admission passes are $210, including service fees and taxes. Single-day tickets are $100. Children 14 and younger, get in free with general admission ticket.
For more information, visit rootsnbluesfestival.com.