32nd Byronfest Serves up Music and Fun

32 nd Byronfest Serves up Music and Fun

By Peggy Werner

New music and food options and two beer gardens will be part of this year’s 32 nd ByronFest celebrated in downtown Byron on July12-14.

During the festival, the small town of about 3,000 grows 10 times larger and showcases all that Byron has to offer, says Sarah Downs, executive director of the Byron Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, organizers find ways to make the event even better. This year, the festival layout is being changed to make the traffic flow smoother. Also, for an extra $20, a brand new VIP area gives 200 people special amenities both Friday and Saturday nights, with beer garden access.

Downs says ByronFest is known for its non-stop music on two stages. The Exelon Stage is located on Second Street and the Byron Lyons Stage is in Municipal Parking Lot 1.

“My goal is always to provide a wide variety of musical styles so there’s something for everyone,” says Downs. “I don’t think there’s a popular genre of music that isn’t represented.”

Headliners this year include Nashville’s William Michael Morgan, who’s on tour this summer, having made his claim to fame with his first No. 1 hit, “I Met a Girl.” Other chart-climbing hits including “Missing,” and “Vinyl,” the title track to his debut album of the same name. Influenced by music legends Keith Whitley and Merle Haggard, Morgan has earned a reputation as one of country’s great singer-songwriters. He’ll perform from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday on the Byron Lions Stage at ByronFest.

Opening for Morgan is Dylan Jakobsen, who is quickly making a name for himself in country music with his first single, “In America,” which is climbing country music charts. Jakobsen will perform from 8 to 9:30.

Other performers on the Lions Stage include, on Friday, Smokin’ Gunz from 5 to 7 p.m., Stevee Nix from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m., and Two White Crew from 10 p.m. to midnight; on Saturday, Mike and Adam from noon to 2 p.m., Love & Thunder from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Zac Matthews from 5 to 8 p.m.; and on Sunday, Three Good Men from noon to 2:30 p.m. and Big Uproar from 3 to 5 p.m.

The Exelon Stage will feature, on Friday, Vodka Boys from 5 to 7 p.m., Colonel Gunn’s from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Catfight from 10 to midnight; on Saturday, Flight Risk from noon to 3 p.m., Monroe from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Party Doctors from 6 to 8:30 p.m., and Sunset Strip from 9 to midnight; and on Sunday,

That Gurl from noon to 2:30 p.m. and Audio Drive from 3 to 5 p.m.

Taste of Byron features about a dozen food vendors. New ones include Cantina Tacos of Rockford and a new business coming to Byron called Paradise Nutrition. Returning vendors include Old Folks BBQ of Rockford; Peking Foods of Iowa, with Chinese food; Bangkok House from Va., with Thai selections; and vendors selling popcorn, polish sausage, nachos and ice cream bars. Byron’s own Sam’s Drive-in will sell Italian Beef, root beer floats and ice cream. Costa’s will offer pizza by the slice and Chicken George will sell deep-fried, beer-battered chicken strips. The Dakota High School Cheerleaders will sell homemade Lemonade Shake-ups and JPG Concessions of Poplar Grove will offer fair food.

Other ByronFest highlights include carnival rides from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets are available at the Byron Fire Department.

A Bags Tournament will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday with registration for teams of two beginning at 10 a.m.; a vendor show will feature local businesses from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; a 5k Run will take place at 8 a..m. Saturday; and a parade is at 2 p.m. Sunday. An all-weekend quilt show will be at the Museum of History, 110 N. Union for $5.

ByronFest is an annual fundraiser for the Byron Chamber of Commerce.

More than 300 volunteers make the festival happen, Downs says. Nearly everyone in the community supports it in some way, through sponsorship, participation or attendance, she says. Several nonprofit groups pitch in each year, including the Boy Scouts, Tebala Shriners, local fire departments and churches, Byron High School Football players, Byron Junior Tackle and Stillman Valley boys basketball players. The Ogle County Probation Department organizes opportunities for community service hours.

Admission to the festival is $5 in advance or $10 at the gate. Children under age 7 are admitted free. Admission wristbands are available at dozens of local merchants in Byron and surrounding towns. For a full list of locations, visit byronfest.org. With a wristband, people can enter the beer gardens, entertainment stages and Taste of ByronFest at no extra charge. No wristbands are required on Sunday, which is Family Day. ❚