Blast Friday Returns to Downtown Clearwater This Week

Blast Friday returns to the Cleveland Street District in Downtown Clearwater for its 7th season. This free food and craft festival will feature a live concert starring The Fabulous Thunderbirds on Friday, April 28 from 5:30 to 10 pm on the Tampa Bay Times Cleveland Street Stage. Special guest Mama's Batch will be opening the show. Concert goers are welcome to bring their lawn chairs to watch the concert. Food trucks and vendors will be serving a wide variety of freshly prepared specialty food and beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. For more information, please visit: blastfridayclearwater.com.

Other activities on Cleveland Street will include:

• New this month is a motorcycle show courtesy of Full Throttle Magazine. The motorcycles will be judged and prizes will be awarded for 5 classes of bikes. For more information and to register your motorcycle, please call Connie from Full Throttle Magazine at 570.418.2905
• On the Station Square Stage, Rivers Crossing will be playing from 5:30-7:30 pm and Edge of Red will be playing from 8 -10 pm.
• A free art exhibit will be held at Studio 617 from 5-8 pm.
• Crooked Thumb Brewery will be stationed outside of Station Square Park and will be offering free beer samples from 5:30-7 pm. 611 Brewery will also be offering free beer samples throughout the night.

For over 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group's distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as Tuff Enuff and Wrap It Up. Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation. In addition to Wilson, the current Thunderbirds line-up features Jay Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitar and Randy Bermudes on bass.

A limited number of VIP packages priced at $29 are available for all Blast Friday concerts, which includes a general admission ticket starting in the fourth row in the reserved seating section in front of the Tampa Bay Times Stage and two complimentary beers. In addition, a limited number of SUPER VIP packages for all Blast Friday concerts, priced at $49 are also available, which includes a ticket with seats in the first three rows of reserved general admission seating directly in front of the Tampa Bay Times Stage, a meet and greet opportunity with band members and two complimentary beers or wine and access to super VIP tent, which includes snacks.

VIP and SUPER VIP packages are on sale now. Packages are available in advance at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office located at 1111 McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater or by calling 727.791.7400. The Ruth Eckerd Hall Ticket Office is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. Patrons may also purchase tickets at www.AtTheCap.com 24/7. Packages may also be available the day of each concert at the Capitol Theatre Box Office.

Ruth Eckerd Hall, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, owned by the City of Clearwater, manages and operates 2,200-seat Ruth Eckerd Hall, the 200-seat Murray Theatre, the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts, the 750-seat Capitol Theatre and Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road. Our mission is: Changing lives through the performing arts.

Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road books and produces a number of off-site events including Friends of Music Member Appreciation Concerts, Blast Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays Summer Concert Series, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday and events in other partner venues including the Palladium, the Tampa Theatre and the Amalie Arena. In 2016, industry trade publication Pollstar named Ruth Eckerd Hall On The Road #34 in the world and #19 in the United States of concert promoters.

Blast Friday is produced by Ruth Eckerd Hall on the Road and proudly sponsored by Bank of America, WTSP-TV, the Tampa Bay Times, Cox Media Group, Hyatt Regency of Clearwater Beach, the Clearwater Threshers and is supported by the City of Clearwater, the Cleveland Street District, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Downtown Development Board.

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