Friday, March 29, 2024
44.8 F
Chicago
HomeLifestyleEntertainmentBlues Brothers Con comes to Old Joliet Prison

Blues Brothers Con comes to Old Joliet Prison

Published on

By Madhu Mayer

Sounds of “sweet home Chicago” will be heard this weekend when the Joliet Area Historical Museum hosts the inaugural Blues Brothers Con as famed duo return to the Old Joliet Prison on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 19 and 20.

Old Joliet Prison_Imate painting The 16-acre restored prison community at 1125 N. Collins St. will transform into a tapestry of sights and sounds to celebrate and honor the iconic “Blues Brothers” film that debuted in theaters more than 40 years ago.

Actors and singers, Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi, brother of the late John Belushi who co-starred in the popular movie, will portray the iconic roles of Elwood Blues and Brother Zee, respectively, for a 90-minute special performance on Friday starting at 9:30 p.m.

“Since the Museum began operations in 2018, the Old Joliet Prison has become a pilgrimage site for Blues Brothers’ fans from around the world,” said Greg Peerbolte, CEO of Joliet Area Historical Museum. “We are honored to work with Dan Aykroyd, Judy Belushi Pisano and the Belushi family to preserve the cultural contributions of one the greatest films ever made.

“Blues Brothers Con will also help to repair the effects of the worst aspects of the Prison’s history by partnering with nonprofits and local faith-based organizations that support reentry and restorative justice initiatives.”

The Joliet Area Historical Museum (JAHM) is a not-for-profit organization that celebrates the diverse industrial heritage of the Joliet region. Founded in 2002, it operates a contemporary museum facility in Joliet’s City Center in the historic 1909 Ottawa St. Methodist Church. Since 2018, JAHM has operated the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site.

On Friday, an opening ceremony led by Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk will begin at 2 p.m. Curfew is at 11 p.m. The following day on Saturday, festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. until the event closes at 11 p.m.

Throughout the two-day Blues Con festival, Blues Brothers fans can expect live musical performances by blues legends, including Chicago Toronzo Cannon, and Curtis Salgado, from whom the iconic film’s character ‘Curtis’ is named after.

Ecumenical Gospel music service led by Joliet-area faith based and civic leaders, followed by the sounds of seasoned Chicago blues veterans Mondo Cortez & The Chicago Blues Angels, Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames, and Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, will perform on Saturday.

The Blues Con experience will also feature Bob’s Country Bunker, a Bluesmobile car display area, the Maxwell Street Vendors Market, and some classic ‘Orange Whips,’ made famous in the film. A free public screening of “Blues Brothers” movie will conclude the festival Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.

Jim Klusinski of Joliet said he cannot wait to attend the convention with his two teen sons, who have yet to see the iconic movie.

“This is a great movie that also put Joliet in the spotlight,” he said. “The best part of the movie, for me, was seeing Cab Calloway perform on the movie screen. This movie still makes me laugh to this day. It definitely is a classic.”

Event sponsorships are available by contacting Mike Brick, museum deputy director of marketing and advancement, at m.brick@jolietmuseum.org (815) 723-5201 Ext. 7213.

The general admission is $35 for adults and $20 for those 13 and under. VIP access tickets range from $500 to $5,000

Walk-up tickets for each day will be based on capacity. Saturday evening’s screening of the “Blues Brothers” movie is free to the public.

Chicago
broken clouds
44.8 ° F
48.6 °
41.3 °
48 %
2.9mph
75 %
Fri
47 °
Sat
55 °
Sun
48 °
Mon
47 °
Tue
45 °

Latest articles

Joliet District 86 students selected for special award

Twenty-one Joliet Public Schools District 86 students received the Superintendent's Award for the second trimester of the 2023-2024 school year, with Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse presenting the awards to the students.

Americans continue to face hurdles to homeownership

Fair Housing Month highlights the disparity between Black homeownership rates and those of other racial and ethnic groups, with lower incomes, higher debt-to-income ratios, and higher closing costs as contributing factors.

Dear EarthTalk: What would a second Trump term in the White House mean for efforts to stave off cataclysmic climate change? —...

Former President Trump has made false claims about climate change and if elected to a second term, he would push for even more extreme environmental policies, potentially setting the U.S. back years in terms of climate change policy.

More like this

Americans continue to face hurdles to homeownership

Fair Housing Month highlights the disparity between Black homeownership rates and those of other racial and ethnic groups, with lower incomes, higher debt-to-income ratios, and higher closing costs as contributing factors.

Dear EarthTalk: What would a second Trump term in the White House mean for efforts to stave off cataclysmic climate change? —...

Former President Trump has made false claims about climate change and if elected to a second term, he would push for even more extreme environmental policies, potentially setting the U.S. back years in terms of climate change policy.

Romeoville welcomes three new Restaurants

Three new restaurants, Faiza, Halsted Street Dawgs, and Happy Bites, are opening or soon to open in Romeoville, offering a variety of food for the whole family to try.