North Liberty Blues & BBQ
Saturday, July 9, Centennial Park, Free

After a two-year hiatus, North Liberty’s Blues & BBQ festival is making its return in July for its 14th event. Get ready to indulge in your favorite barbecue and spend an entire day listening to blues and blues-inspired musicians. Yesterday, the festival announced the performers who’ll be taking the stage at Centennial Park.
The War and Treaty, the festival’s headliner, is a husband-and-wife duo hailing from Albion, Michigan. Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount began performing together in 2014, taking the name the War and Treaty in 2017.
Trotter and Blount are known for their fusion of Southern soul, gospel, country and rock-and-roll. Back in 2020, they performed at the Grammy Awards, and the two have also opened for Al Green and toured with Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell.
Quad Cities blues group the Avey Grouws Band will kick off the festival, followed by the Tanya English Band, an Iowa City husband-and-wife duo that started out playing gigs on Monday nights at George’s Buffet.

Chicago-based performer Nathan Graham and Nashville musician Lilly Hiatt will be performing in the evening.
The festival’s music programming is co-presented with the Englert Theatre. All ages are welcome and the festival is free.
