Fairhope Brewing Company is bringing the sights and sounds of Carnival season back to Baldwin County this weekend, six months out of season, with the sixth annual “Mardi Gras in July” concert. The free, all-ages show is set for Saturday, July 20, starting at 2 p.m. at the brewery’s Nichols Avenue taproom.
The event has become a mid-summer tradition for Mardi Gras devotees along the Eastern Shore who aren’t willing to wait until winter for a parade-style celebration. Organizers have built the afternoon around a three-band lineup designed to move fans from brass-driven second-line grooves into extended jam-band territory before closing out with a run of classic rock favorites.
Opening the show is Blow House Brass Band, a group of young horn players known for showing up in the thick of Mobile-area Mardi Gras parades. The band has built a following by pairing high-energy choreography with fresh, charismatic takes on traditional brass band standards, and organizers expect the group to set an upbeat tone for the rest of the afternoon.
From there, the Birmingham-based Little Raine Band takes over with an extended, improvisational sound that draws from jam-band and psychedelic-rock traditions. The group has earned comparisons to acts like the Grateful Dead and the Disco Biscuits for its willingness to stretch songs out and follow them into unexpected territory, giving the middle of the show a very different feel from the brass-heavy opening set.
Closing out the night is Petty for Your Thoughts, a tribute act dedicated to the catalog of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The band has built a reputation for faithful live renditions of Petty staples, and fans attending Saturday’s show can expect to hear favorites such as “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “Into the Great Wide Open” performed as the finale.
Fairhope Brewing Company has hosted the “Mardi Gras in July” celebration annually for six years running, giving it a place alongside the brewery’s other recurring community events. The taproom, located at 914 Nichols Ave. in downtown Fairhope, regularly draws crowds for live music, and Saturday’s show is free to attend, with the brewery’s full lineup of craft beers available for purchase throughout the afternoon.
Local music fans looking for a way to relive Carnival season without waiting for Mardi Gras 2020 to roll around are encouraged to stop by the brewery early, as the event has drawn strong crowds in past years. More details on the show and the brewery’s schedule of upcoming events can be found at fairhopebrewing.com.