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Soup, Stew, Chili & Brew

Annual chamber fundraiser
offers food, live music

Teams compete for their respective charities
in food contest



Soup, Stew, Chili
& Brew

• 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, on Madison, Ind.’s Main Street (street closed to traffic)
• Free admission.
• Presented by the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce
• Information:
(812) 265-3135

Music Schedule

Main Stage:
• 11 a.m. - noon: Bill Lancton & Jimmy Davis
• 12:30-1:30 p.m.: Two Buck Chuck
• 2-3:15 p.m.: Rusty Balden
• 3:45-5 p.m.: Travis Puntarelli

Red Bicycle Stage:
• 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.: Leah Pruett
• 1:15-2:30 p.m.: Jordan Wilson
• 3-4:15 p.m.: Lexi Len

Madison Community Players Stage:
• 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.: The Chestnuts
• 1:30-2:45 p.m.: Kriss Luckett & Greg Ziesemer
• 3-4:15 p.m.: Curtis Cantwell Jackson

(October 2018) – Madison, Ind.’s Main Street will be full of bustling people again for the Soup Stew Chili & Brew festival planned for Saturday, Oct. 13. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission. This family-friendly fall festival with live music, food, beer and wine gardens, the Grote Kids zone and even carnival rides, promises to be a fun event. The city blocks off Main Street for it.
The late Jeff Garrett, the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce’s executive director who originated this festival, wanted to attract people to Madison’s Main Street shopping district. This is now the 16th year for the successful festival. With preparations taking all year to organize and the competition about to unfold, the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce is ready for this festival to begin. Teams compete in the four categories of soup, stew, chili and brew.
“For the competition, we have a panel of judges who sample entries in a blind taste test,” explained Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Bloos. “They are rated for appearance, texture, taste and overall appeal.”
The winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. from the Main stage, she said.
Tickets will be required for purchases, which are sold for $1 per ticket at booths on Jefferson, Broadway and West streets. Children are welcome to play all day at any of the Grote Kids zone areas for a $10 wristband. Since the addition of the carnival rides was such a huge success last year, the Ferris wheel will be at the festival once again, Bloos said. It will be located at the Jefferson and Main streets intersection.
“Proceeds from the event benefit the businesses and organizations setting up booths. Many are nonprofit organizations. A portion of the proceeds goes to the chamber so that we can continue our mission to provide support and resources to develop business and to facilitate the event,” Bloos said.
Not only will the town enjoy delicious smells wafting through the air, but entertaining music as well. Every year, musicians get invited to perform on various stages throughout the festival. These talented artists come from local or regional areas to perform at the festival for the attendants to enjoy.

Photo provided

Travis Puntarelli of Bloomington, Ind., will perform at the festival.

One performer, Travis Puntarelli, 31, is coming from Bloomington, Ind., to perform for the first time at the festival.
“When I left school when I was 18, I traveled across the country and hitchhiked for a few years and learned to sing on the streets pretty well. I write a lot. My main job is to write and compose songs for a local theatre and for myself and bands,” Puntarelli said.
Many artists find that they have artists and musicians whom they look up to or that influences their own music. 
“I have so many friends that are amazingly talented musicians that I have been listening to pretty exclusively,” Puntarelli continued. “I would say my greatest musical influences would be Bob Dylan and Ewan MacColl, a Scottish balladeer. MacColl plays a lot of acappella and old traditional songs; it’s a treasure trove of music.”
Since he mostly writes his own music, Puntarelli said he will also be performing some covers for the festival.

“I really love losing myself in the music and forgetting I’m there,” he said. “I love feeling like something else moves me and gets to experience that. Also, interacting with the folks is exciting. I’m going to throw in a couple covers, maybe some jazz, old folk or old traditional music.”

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