Join us for a free, family-friendly outdoor concert in front of the Illinois Governor’s Mansion. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics—we’ll provide the vibes! There will also be food & drink for purchase.

Headliner: Cedric Burnside - Blues
The official credit tells it like it is. “Recorded in an old building in Ripley, Mississippi” – that’s all the info we get, and all that we need. When Cedric Burnside prepared to record Hill Country Love, the follow-up to his 2021 Grammy-winning album I Be Trying, he set up shop in a former legal office located in a row of structures in the seat of Tippah County, a town with 5,000 residents that’s known as the birthplace of the Hill Country Blues style. Burnside is a recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship, the country’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts and was recently recognized with the 2024 Mississippi Governor’s Art Award for Excellence in Music. He has performed and recorded with such diverse musicians as Jimmy Buffett, Bobby Rush, and Widespread Panic.

Event Schedule:
• 6:00 PM – Lawn opens (open seating — don’t forget your chairs!)
• 6:30 PM – Welcome, National Anthems and Kid’s Kickoff
• 7:00 PM – Opening Act (to be announced soon!)
• 8:00 PM – Cedric Burnside takes the stage

Come early, get comfy, and soak in the summer evening with incredible live music and community energy!