Carnival of Soul

Saturday set the scene for the second day of the 13th Annual Medicine Park’s Blues Ball to close out the summer season with Labor Day weekend festivities.

After a cool start to festivities Friday night, things heated up a bit more Saturday. But cool breezes from Medicine Creek and benevolent clouds from overhead kept things in a good place.

Event coordinator Dwight Cope said this one is one of the better Blues Balls the cobblestone community has hosted due to the combination of weather, visitors and talent.

“It’s been a pretty good turn out,” Cope said. “This is probably one of the mildest ones we’ve had (weather wise).”

Master of ceremonies Rodney Whaley said things were running smoothly. It on a good note.

“It was just magical,” Whaley said of the event. “We have perfect weather, everything is on schedule, no one’s hit a bad note.”

A large, white tent covered the majority of the seating area before the stage to protect concert goers from the rays.

Previous Augusts have been less forgiving than this year and would make it appear that bands were playing to no audience when actually, fans had found solace in shade until the nighttime shows. Only the second time in use, it’s proving popular.

“It’s a keeper, that’s for sure,” Whaley said.

Serving as master of ceremonies offers the prairie hippie room to enjoy the festival, he said.

“It’s the best job in the park,” Whaley said. “I talk for a minute and a half and then I get to listen to great blues for an hour and a half. I love it, I absolutely love it.”