Heritage Festival ready to kick off in Tazewell

By JIM TALBERT\Staff
TAZEWELL – Main Street’s Heritage Festival is off to a rocking start.
Steele Cookin’ and Zoso rocked the Mini Park July 19 as a week of music and fun officially got underway. Music continues July 23 with another appearance by Steele Cookin’ and a show from the Wes Jeans Blues Band.
Wes Jeans is from Marshall Texas and is making his second appearance at the Heritage Festival.  Blue Voo Doo from Richlands will serve as the opening act July 24. They take to the stage at 6 and the 7:30 p.m. show will feature Kenny Mann and Liquid Pleasure.
Liquid Pleasure is making its third appearance in Tazewell and was one of the most popular acts at last year’s festival. Action shifts from Main Street to the high school July 25 as Phil Dirt and the Dozers offer an 8 p.m. concert.
Saturday is the grand finale of the festival and Main Street will be blocked off for a full day of action. There will be inflatable rides for the children as well as mechanical bull.
Mark Lippard will be on hand to entertain the children as well. For the adults, Buckhorn Carriages will be offering tours of the town’s historic district.
Main Street will be lined with vendors offering a variety of food and other items. Chamber of Commerce Director Becky Duncan said 42 vendors had pre-registered for the event.
Entertainment will be offered at various timed during the day on the stage in the parking lot across from Yong’s Cuisine. Phil Dirt and the Dozers will hit the mini park stage at 3 p.m. for a show featuring music from 50’, 60’s and 70’s.
A new event this year is the Green Dog 5K road race which will be held at Tazewell high school. The race and a one mile walk are both to benefit the United Way of the Virginias.
The walk begins at 5:30 and the race at 6 p.m. Registration will be accepted the day of the race.
The evening caps off with the first appearance in the area for the Right On band. The Virginia Beach based band is billed as the “greatest party band to ever take the stage.’
The band offers a variety of disco, rhythm and blues and old time rock and roll. Their show starts at 7:30 and will be in the parking lot across from Yong’s.