By Derrick Lee Anderson

CARYVILLE, TN (WLAF) – Beautiful lakeside views.  Good music.  Great food.  Great people.  Amazing vendors.  That is what the Louie Bluie Festival is all about.  This year’s Louie Bluie Festival took place on Saturday, September 28th and it was a fun event had by all.All of the fun started on Friday, September 27th as WATE’s weekday lifestyle show “Living East Tennessee” made a stop at Cove Lake State Park to preview the Louie Bluie Festival.  The show broadcasted live from Rickard Ridge BBQ inside  the park as show hosts Kelli Smith and Erin Barnett, along show storyteller Chelsea Haynes, provided interesting segments on the Louie
Bluie Festival as well as great music.

L-R:  Derrick Lee Anderson, Kelli Smith, Chelsea Haynes and Erin Barnett

The fun continued on Saturday, September 28th, the day of the Louie Bluie Festival. The opening ceremonies featured the Roberts Sisters, Joshua Collins and Joseph Hensley.  Throughout the day, the event featured everything from a children’s parade led by jazz singer Kelle Jolly to performances by Dustin Ford, New River Rising and other artists.

Derrick Lee Anderson (L) with Candace West (R).

Experiencing an event like this is something worth remembering.  As I experienced this event for the first time with my mom Betty Anderson and my girlfriend Candace West, it made me realize how blessed we all are to live in a wonderful community like East Tennessee that is home to great people, great businesses and events that impact our community in so many ways.

Even though this year’s Louie Bluie Festival was a success, the question remains will next year’s event be even bigger?  The answer?  Only time will tell.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/30/2019-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF DERRICK LEE ANDERSON)