There’s lots of local music on tap at this year’s 36th annual International Festival. Among the bands playing are Southern Backtones, John Evans Band, The Mighty Orq, Medicine Show, Arthur Yoria, Fondue Monks, Ruthie Foster, and Tody Castillo.

The fun begins this Saturday (4.21.07) downtown around City Hall, Tranquility Park and Sam Houston Park. Admission is $13 for adults/$3 for kids 4-11/free for those 3 and under. The festival runs Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22 and April 28-29.

Visit the iFest website at www.ifest.org to get more information and see the full schedule of bands. Here’s a few highlights:

Saturday, 4.21.07

1:45pm Ruthie Foster
2pm New Birth Brass Band
3:30pm Matt Anderson
4:45pm Medicine Show
6:30pm Southern Backtones
8:15 John Evans Band

Also, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic play at 8pm on the World Music Stage.

Sunday, 4.22.07

3pm The Mighty Orq

Saturday, 4.28.07

1:45 Norma Zenteno
3pm Fondue Monks
4:45pm Arthur Yoria
6:30pm Traffic Jam
8pm Carolyn Wonderland Band

Sunday, 4.29.07

1:15pm Clouseaux
4:45pm Tody Castillo
6:15pm Lucinda Williams
6:30pm The Stone Coyotes
6:30pm Johnny Bush w/ Jesse Dayton Band

Hope you can come out to make this year’s festival a success. It looks liek a good way to see some good local music.