Marquette Waterfront Festival June 10th and 11th, 2006

Once again the Marquette Neighborhood Association will offer up two days of unsurpassed excitement (and a bonus warm-up concert) in presenting the 17th annual edition of the Marquette Waterfront Festival. Come bask in the seductive offshore breeze as the community convenes on June 10th and 11th at the shaded shore-hugging Yahara Place Park.

On Thursday night June 8th a "Waterfront Warm-up" concert at the Barrymore Theatre will feature an evening with the sensational guitarist Bill Frisell making his first Madison appearance. Frisell, most likely the outstanding Jazz guitarist in the world today, will be on the road to Bonaroo in Tennessee and agreed to stop and play our event with his New Quartet featuring Greg Leisz on steel guitars, David Piltch on bass & Kenny Wollesen on drums. Frisell just received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album and Downbeat Magazine's critics and fans have recently showered him with Best Guitarist, Best Composer and Best Performer Awards. This show is a major coup for the fest and considering that legendary Blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin is coming (with Ever Rollin' Bob Margolin) to Orton on August 26 the summer will be book ended by brilliant musicians. MNA and the Willy St. Coop will present the Warm-up Concert and WORT will welcome the artists.

Bill Frisell

At the park a dozen bands of great variety and renown will perform over the course of the weekend. Confirmed bands for Saturday include last year's Orton Park Fest favorites from Miami, Locos Por Juana. LPJ was a Grammy nominee last year for Best Latin Recording and dazzle with Ska, Cumbia and Salsa selections. They have been voted Miami's Best Latin Live Act a number of years in a row. Signed for this World and Latin music-themed day are rising stars Grupo Candela with a repertoire of Bachata, Meringue and Salsa and local Colombian Cumbia band Kali Kalor fronted by the sensational Claudia Martinez. The Natty Nation spin-off band, dumate, with Mr. Parker made a splash last year and has been asked to return also.

Locos Por Juana

Sunday's lineup is pure Americana and is solid from top to bottom. MAMA nominee Tracy Jane Comer will start things off with some mellow singer/songwriter material. Tracy is a recent arrival from the Carolinas and has a beautiful voice. Country rockers Box Elder will grace the number two slot and contribute a spirited set. The multi-talented Gomers haven't played the WaterFest for a number of years so it will be great to have them back. They might even get some of their favorite Gomeroke participants up on stage with them. Carl Johns, a longtime neighborhood resident, will bring over his band Charlemagne. They have been getting a lot of attention in indie-rock circles here and abroad. The Kissers have moved backed to Madison after a brief stint in Boston and wanted to play for us this year. They are a great festival band with a huge following so why not. The hard-rocking Rousers will cap it all off led by dynamic vocalist Frank Furillo and lead guitarist Ernie Connor. They worked the crowd into convulsions last year and have promised to bring us one step short of that this year. Surf over to our website (www.marquette-neighborhood.org) for times and updates as the line-up fills in.

The Kissers

The Dandelion Dash run/walk will once again be a fun component of this year's Waterfront sports lineup. The races (200meter kids dash, 1 and 2 mile, 5k, 10k and ultra-10k runs) will be contested on Saturday morning at 8:30 am and Fritz will handle registration responsibilities starting at 7:30am. The always-popular coed volleyball tournament will be held on Saturday also and is coordinated by Paul Nichols (243-8301).

Sunday's recreational activity is canoe racing at noon. Race official John Haugen-Wente, the owner of Carl and John's Paddlin' (284-0300), welcomes all boating configurations (adult/child, all-women, all-men, human/farm animal, soloists, and kayakers), sorts them into heats, handicaps the ringers and makes sure that everyone wins a prize.

The unflappable Dorla Mayer is designing her 17th colorful T-shirt and there will be Waterfront hats and miscellaneous merchandise for sale this year. The Crystal Corner staff promises to keep the beer garden well stocked and the Wil-Mar Center crew will be grilling up a storm. Once again neighborhood restaurateurs Lao Laan-Xang, Glass Nickel Pizza, Guantanamera and Jamerica and more will be vending their specialties and you can be assured there will be plenty of kids' games (11am to 3 PM) run by the neighborhood Scout troop and hay rides from 1-3:00 on both days.

This year's generous sponsors include Heartland Credit Union, the Willy St. Coop , Willy St. Pub and Grill, Isthmus Publishing, the Harmony Bar, MG&E, Star Liquor, Star Books, Capital Water Softeners, Research Products, Weary Traveler Free House, Mother Nature's Diaper Service, TDS Construction, Smart Studios, Hempen Goods, MadCat Pet Supplies, Capital Brewery, Berghoff Brewery, Yahara Builders, Mickey's Tavern, Lazy Jane's, Glass Nickel Pizza and Bock Water Heaters.

Yahara Place Park is breathtakingly situated on the northern shore of Lake Monona where it meets the Yahara River just a couple of blocks from Williamson St., Schenk's Corner, and the O'Keeffe/Marquette school complex. This is a very residential area so bus, walk or bike to the event if possible. The event is handicapped accessible and free to the general public. For more information or to volunteer or to become a sponsor call 241-7143.