5 Blues Fest Zingers

Tons o' music: Throughout the weekend, the Queen City Blues Fest dishes up 35 hours of music on three stages at Sawyer Point on the riverfront. Friday was the first six hours; today gives you something like 29 hours from some of the best names on the circuit.

A date with Lonnie: It's a pretty sure bet Tristate guitar great Lonnie Mack will turn up on stage with the Campbell Brothers at 9:15 p.m. today on the Main Stage. It's their Fest debut, but Mack knows their music and has made no secret of the fact that he's a longtime fan of the Brothers' gospel and blues played on pedal steel.

Sinful dining: The Fest always serves up good - though not always good for you - food. This year is no exception: Barbecue with ribs, wings, pulled pork, turkey legs, prime rib sandwiches, sausages, bloomin' onions, candied nuts, pretzels, hot dogs/hamburgers/fries and standard carney fare are on the bill at $4 to $8. Oh yeah, there's also beer, wine coolers, soda and water.

Living legend: That would be Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown on the Main Stage at 7:45 p.m. A star on the R&B circuit for more than half a century, this master guitarist mixes classic Texas shuffles with big band jazz and, when he picks up his fiddle, even a little Cajun music.

Rules of the road: Travel light. The Fest allows no dogs, coolers, cans or bottles. Audio and video equipment are likewise banned. But sunscreen isn't, and if the sky's clear, you'll need it. Sawyer Point, while great for a party, doesn't have a lot of shade.

Tonight ... And Free

Jazz fest: The Jazz in the Park Festival in Forest Park slows things down with music by Mike Wade, Chris Bowman, the Urban Jazz Coalition and headliner Marion Meadows. 5-10 p.m. today, Central Park, Winton and Kemper roads, free. 615-2131.

Shopping Tips

Take a drive: If you love garage sales, you'll really love this one: 450 miles of other people's stuff, all priced to sell. It's the World's Longest Outdoor Sale, an annual landslide of collectible treasures, antiques, crafts and other goodies piled along the side of U.S. 127, beginning in Covington's MainStrasse and ending in Gadsden, Ala. It's 7 a.m.-6 p.m. today and Sunday.

Heads Up

Let's eat: Sunday's big deal is St. Anthony of Padua Maronite Church's annual Lebanese Festival, an all-day salute to food. Like kibbee, a mix of ground beef and lamb with cracked wheat and spices that can be eaten raw (kibbee nayyi) or fried (kibbee miqliyyi). The spinach pies always draw a crowd, too. Food prices run 25 cents to $4. It's noon-9 p.m. Sunday, 2524 Victory Parkway, East Walnut Hills. 961-5823.

E-mail: jknippenberg@enquirer.com; fax: 768-8330