The 2015 Britt Festivals season got off to an auspicious start Saturday, June 6 with its annual Taste of Summer Celebration in downtown Jacksonville. This year’s event was HOT in every sense of the word. The celebration this year featured some torrid music by bands such as Salsa Brava and the Talking Heads cover band Dancin’ Fools, numerous bigger, better and new additions to the festivities including an Artisan’s Alley featuring 12 arts and crafts vendors, a large beer garden from Frau Kemmling Schoolhaus Brewhaus, an increased number of wineries from 19 to 22 participating in the Taste of Summer wine walk, 8 food vendors offering a wide and varied menu of gustatory delights, a full complement of vintage cars on display, and a packed, lively and enthusiastic crowd. Even the Jacksonville weather adhered to the script for this year’s celebration, producing the first really hot, sunny day of the season, reaching a high of 95 degrees.
As with all things Britt Festival, music was a central focus. The big draws were two popular local bands presented on the main stage on South 3rd Street: Salsa Brava and the Talking Heads cover band Dancin’ Fools. Both bands were in top form, successfully holding the attention of the free admission audience and keeping them entertained and engaged.
One minute sample of Salsa Brava performing at the Britt Festivals Taste of Summer Celebration in downtown Jacksonville, OR on Sat., June 6, 2015.
One minute sample of Talking Heads cover band Dancin’ Fools performing Slippery People at the Britt Festivals Taste of Summer Celebration in downtown Jacksonville, OR on Sat., June 6, 2015.
Those were just the tip of the iceberg at the hot event on this hot day. Additional music was provided at a more informal venue on the corner of California and North 4th Streets by Flamenco and classical guitarist Grant Ruiz, and by the Southern Oregon University Graduate Sax Quartet. Acoustic rock ‘n’ roll band SIP performed at the Art Presence Art Center on North 5th Street, and guitarist/vocalist Robbie DaCosta strolled the entire venue entertaining the passing crowd.
One minute sample of the SOU Graduate Sax Quartet (students of Prof. Rhett Bender) performing at the Britt Festivals Taste of Summer Celebration in downtown Jacksonville, OR on Sat., June 6, 2015.
Spanning the length of South 3rd Street from the Main Stage to California Street, the food court offered an extensive variety of different cuisines from eight local vendors, and was a popular, packed destination for most of the afternoon, where crowds enthusiastically queued up for food from Auntie Mama Cookies, Back Porch Bar & Grill, Bella Union, Jolie’s Bento, Las Palmas, Ooblies Waffles, Peruvian Point, Ray’s Market and Rogue Chef.
The food court, offering cuisines from 8 different vendors, was a popular and packed destination at the 2015 Taste of Summer Celebration in Jacksonville, OR on June 6, 2015.
In addition, near the Main Stage, the food court included a new addition: a large food and beer garden from Frau Kemmling Schoolhaus Brewhaus which was doing a brisk business quenching the thirst of parched and happy adults.
The new beer garden, from Frau Kemmling Schoolhaus Brewhaus, was a popular destination for thirsty adults at the 2015 Taste of Summer Celebration in Jacksonville, OR on June 6, 2015.
Directly across California Street from the Main Stage and food court, North 3rd Street was the site of the new Artisan’s Alley, featuring works displayed and for sale by 12 local artisans, including photography, wine-infused soap (Tipsy Soap), glass art by Jessy Carrara, lavender products from English Lavender Farm, wine jams and jellies from Auntie Mae’s Sweet Treats, and more.
Artisan Alley on North 3rd Street at the 2015 Taste of Summer Celebration presented the works of 12 local artisans, in Jacksonville, OR on June 6, 2015.
The wine walk, offered tastings from 22 regional wineries placed at downtown shops and tasting rooms located throughout the event venue, between noon and 4 pm:
2 Hawk Winery at Jacksonville Odd Fellows
Adit Wine Bar at Adit Public House
Cliff Creek Cellars at Elan Gallery
Daisy Creek Vineyard at STIM Coffee
Dancin Vineyards at The Crown Jewel
Devitt Winery at Jacksonville Company
EdenVale Winery at LaBoheme
Grizzly Peak Winery at Terra Firma
Jaxon Vineyards at Magnolia Inn
LaBrasseur Vineyard at Creator’s Gallery
Ledger David Cellars at Eleglance Home Decor
New Napa Wine at Art Presence Art Center
Pallet Wine Company at Carefree Buffalo
Pebblestone Cellars at Jacksonville Mercantile
Quady North Winery at Quady Tasting Room
Red Lily Vineyards at Good Bean Coffee
RoxyAnn Winery at Blue Door Garden Store
Soloro Vineyards at Cotton Broker
South Stage Cellars at South Stage Tasting Room
Umpqua Wineries at Umpqua Tasting Room
Valley View Winery at Jacksvonille Inn
Weisinger Family Winery at Pico’s
All of that walking, in the hot sun, must have beneficially gone a long way to keeping wine tasters sober, while completing that extensive œnophile’s tour.
And while walking the venue, guests could enjoy looking at and stopping to examine a large collection of vintage automobiles lining the length of both sides of California Street.
2015 Taste of Summer Celebration attendees examine some of the vintage automobiles lining California Street in Jacksonville, OR on June 6, 2015.
Without a doubt, this season’s Taste of Summer Celebration was the best, most entertaining, best attended, and most successful ever, which is a great start for the Britt Festival’s 2015 season and bodes well for the rest of the season events to follow. Performances at the Britt Pavilion begin in earnest on Saturday, June 20, with Brit Floyd: The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show. Three more events follow this month: Smash Mouth/Toad the Wet Sprocket on Sunday, June 21, Chicago on Tuesday, June 23, and the paired performers Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss (which is already SOLD OUT) on Wednesday, June 24. Get Britt Festival information online at http://brittfest.org or call the box office at 541-773-6077 or 1-800-882-7488. Tickets can also be purchased by calling those numbers, or online at http://brittfest.org/performances or visit the box office at 216 W. Main St., Medford.
Taste of Summer is co-presented by Britt Festivals, the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, and the Jacksonville Oregon Business Association.
Lee Greene was born & raised in a NJ family where the only religion worshipped was classical music, Leonard Bernstein was God, and the radio was constantly on and tuned to classical station WQXR (which is now always on in his Jacksonville home thanks to the miracle of the Internet). Growing up in the New York City metropolitan area and later while residing and practicing law in NYC, Lee attended oodles of Broadway and off-Broadway theater productions, as well as concerts and opera at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and other NYC venues. Lee is now a retired attorney, runs a computer support business, and has served on the boards of Rogue Opera & Siskiyou Violins. Lee also writes Performing Arts reviews published on the website,