The local music tradition resumes Thursday night.
Sam and Brandi Dennis have turned their passion for classic rock music into a family affair.
The couple and their three sons, ages 11 to 22, make up The Family Jam Band, and have appeared on KOMU’s “Pepper and Friends,” at Bear’s Breath Bar and Grill and at the 2004 Boone County Fair.
The Family Jam Band will be among more than a dozen local musicians who will perform at this year’s Twilight Festival, which begins Thursday evening.
The 15th Twilight Festival, an annual summer and fall ritual in downtown Columbia, takes place every Thursday night in June and September, from 6 to 10 p.m., when musicians, artists and vendors fill the streets to entertain, enlighten and feed spectators.
“We are very excited to perform at this year’s festival and hope to gain even more exposure as a local family band,” said Brandi Dennis, whose band will join the musical lineup later this month.
This year’s festival is being kicked off Thursday by the Chump Change Band, which will take the William Woods Stage in Courthouse Square at 8 p.m. Other headline performances throughout June include the Norm Ruebling Band and the Kansas City Street Band.
The Missouri Symphony will present a special performance June 9. The Family Jam Band is also scheduled to perform June 9 in front of the 9th Street Bookstore.
The summer event closes June 30 with a spin-off of the TV show “American Idol.”
In addition to musical performances and carriage rides, the festival offers a little something extra for young visitors, the U.S. Cellular Kids’ Camp in Courthouse Square. The exhibit is interactive and features live animals.
This year’s festival includes some new activities at Flat Branch Park. Live music performances and outdoor movies, including the animated movie “The Incredibles,” will be shown. Park visitors can also enjoy weekly talent performances by Columbia children.
The Twilight Festival is sponsored by the Central Columbia Association. Leah Wyllys-Gambiza, the association’s assistant director, said the festival’s success lies in its traditions.
“The concert series on the Williams Woods Stage, US Cellular Kids Camp and carriage rides sponsored by the Missouri Theatre are three huge attractions that keep people coming back each year,” Wyllys-Gambiza said. “The recent expansion of Flat Branch Park has really become a focal point for the festival, and we’ll continue to add new activities to that area in future years.”
For a complete listing of Twilight Festival events, visit www.discoverthedistrict.com/twilighthome.html.