BLUE ASH - Soul man extraordinaire Al Green will headline next weekend's 17th annual Taste of Blue Ash along with other old-time favorites Lesley Gore, Brenda Lee and Mark Farner of the Grand Funk Railroad.

        At least 240,000 people are expected to rock around the main stage Friday, Saturday and Sunday, sampling plenty of German, Russian, American and pan-Asian cuisine to keep their energy going.

EVENTS

Friday   Main Stage   5:30-7 p.m. Bentwood Rockers   8-9 p.m. The Turtles   9:30-11 p.m. Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad   Saturday   Main Stage   6-8 p.m. Hot Wax   8:30-9:30 p.m. Best of Taste Awards   9:30 p.m. Al Green   Tent Stage   Noon-2 p.m. Outback   2:30-4:30 p.m. Jon Aiken   5-7 p.m. Kevin Fox   Children's Special Programming   1-1:45 p.m. Ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn   2-3 p.m. Cincinnati Zoo shows off zoo animals   3:15-4 p.m. Ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn   5-5:45 p.m. Mike Hemmelgarn   Sunday   Main Stage   4-6 p.m. Ooh La La & The Greasers   7-8 p.m. Lesley Gore   8-9 p.m. Brenda Lee   Tent Stage   Noon-2 p.m. Doug Gehner   2:30-4:30 p.m. White Lightning   5-7 p.m. Blair Carman   Children's Special Programming   1-1:45 p.m. Ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn   2-3 p.m. Cincinnati Zoo animals   3:15-4 p.m. and 5-5:45 p.m. Mike Hemmelgarn

        The headlining acts have the hits that will inspire crowds to dance their hearts out - come rain or shine - at the festival's home, at Hunt and Cooper roads.

        On stage: the Rev. Mr. Green singing a smooth, upbeat rendition of “Let's Stay Together;” Ms. Gore belting out an all-time favorite, “It's My Party;” Ms. Lee - even though it's August - singing “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree;” and Mr. Farner performing renditions of Grand Funk Railroad's “The Loco-Motion” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.”

        “We're very excited with the lineup that we have this year. It's pretty awesome,” said Julie Prickett, who has helped organize the event for more than a decade. “I'm probably most excited to see Al Green. He's sort of legendary.”

        In years past, Petula Clark, Johnny Rivers, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Jan & Dean and Jerry Lewis and the Playboys have performed at Taste of Blue Ash.

        Then there's the food. There will be 20 booths dishing out brats, etouffe, crab cannolis, chicken tandoori and more.

        “Where else can you go and eat 20 different things in the space of an hour?” asked Dave Kirschsieper of the Blue Ash Business Association, which co-produces the event with the city of Blue Ash. He plans to attend each day and is eager to see the acts.

        Mr. Farner will hit the main stage at 9:30 p.m. Friday; the Rev. Mr. Green at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Ms. Gore at 7 p.m. Sunday, followed by Ms. Lee at 8.

        But, “there's a little bit of everything,” Ms. Prickett said.

        “We really stress making it a family atmosphere. We like to say we have international food and international entertainment.”

        A children's entertainment area will feature ventriloquist shows and visits from Cincinnati Zoo animals.

        Free shuttle service will be provided all three days from Sycamore Junior High School, Edwin H. Greene School, Maple Dale Elementary School, Raymond Walters College, Ursuline Academy, Crossgate Bowling Lanes, Sara Lee Foods Building and the Blue Ash Municipal & Safety Center.

        For more information, http://babusiness.org.

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