Launched six years ago and inspired by a similar event in Grand Haven, this weekend’s Walk the Beat will light up Albion’s downtown area with performances by more than two dozen regional acts.
Walking Albion’s Beat: Big crowds are expected to stroll from venue to venue, voting for their favorite bands. (Courtesy Photo)
Inspired by a Grand Haven street festival, Albion’s Walk the Beat has grown by leaps and bounds since 2016, with 28 bands set to play 14 different venues in the downtown area on Saturday (Aug. 27).
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Beyond showcasing performers cutting across a wide swath of genres, the annual street festival gives a big boost to area businesses who host enthusiastic music fans strolling from venue to venue to vote for their favorite bands and solo acts.
“Our fans and guests love it,” said Cliff Harris, lead organizer of the unique Albion event patterned after a Grand Haven festival launched by West Michigan musician and promoter David Palmer.
“Our venues often report that they have their best days of the year on that day. Bands participate for many different reasons – some to win the best band prize and some to present their art to new people. This year, we have new businesses that decided to be venues.”
Street Rock: Grand Rapids’ The Blue Pines played the last WTB event in Albion. (Courtesy Photo)
Six years ago, just 10 bands and five venues took part in Albion’s first Walk the Beat.
Starting at 1 p.m., Saturday’s expanded edition will feature popular, well-established acts from across Michigan, including the blues of the Chris Canas Band and Crossroads Resurrection, the rock of Feeding Grizzlies, ADABOY! and The Ryne Experience, the pop of Ella-X and Basic Comfort and the singer-songwriter stylings of David Goyette and Kevin B Klein, along with up-and-coming artists.
Fans sign up to vote for their favorite performers, with the winning band or solo artist winning 40 hours of studio and engineer times at Third Coast Recording in Grand Haven.
THOUSANDS OF FANS, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DOOR PRIZES
Between 1,000 and 2,000 wandering fans are expected to catch the performances at businesses ranging from Albion Malleable Brewery and The Bohm Theater to Homestead Savings Bank and Yellow Bird Chocolate Shop.
Playing Saturday: Lowell’s The Ryne Experience. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
The performances take place mostly along Superior Street and Michigan Avenue.
As a further inducement for attendees, Walk the Beat also will dole out 17 door prizes worth $3,400 during the day-long event which follows a summer concert series that staged seven concerts in July and August at Stoffer Plaza.
“Our sponsors generously support us and our guests continue to celebrate music in Albion,” said Harris, a professor of organic chemistry at Albion College. “So exciting.”
Walk the Beat now takes place in three Michigan cities during the summer. Montague and Whitehall hosted their first version of the event in July. Grand Haven – which staged its first Walk the Beat in 2014 – rolled out its 2022 edition of the festival earlier this month (Aug. 13).
Find more information, venue locations and a full band lineup online at walkthebeatalbion.org. Albion is about 100 miles southeast of Grand Rapids and 47 miles east of Kalamazoo.
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