Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc. will hold its annual fundraising event on Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 PM. Proceeds will support the 16th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest, one of the nation’s only small town film festivals. The event will take place at Elizabeth’s Restaurant, 231 E. Main Street in Batesville.
The highlight of the event is a performance by the Side Street Steppers from Memphis, Tennessee. The Steppers have released three CDs and maintain a robust touring schedule throughout the Memphis area. They’ve recently expanded their presence in north central Arkansas, headlining the 2016 Bean Fest and Great Arkansas Championship Outhouse Races in Mountain View.
Christian Stanfield, a founding member and the driving force of the four piece band explains the band’s repertoire, “We needed a term that handily defined what we do and whom we represent, and thus ‘Vintage Music.’ Vintage Music is old music, but not just any old music. Vintage Music is timeless, as exciting to listen to today as it was when first performed. We give you blues, jazz, country, hokum, jug band, fiddle tunes and more. This is the music of America, of all the people who have come and gone and contributed a verse to our national song. Collectively, it tells the story of who we are and where we have been—what we have endured and how we got through.”
“The Steppers don’t just play the fool out of their banjos, banjo-ukuleles, and tricked-out washboards. They build their instruments from scratch and know them intimately. Shows almost always include percussive folk dancing, some burlesque, and the kind of entendre-laden, tent-show humor that made your great-grandaddy spit his dentures.” –Chris Davis, The Memphis Flyer
Tickets for the benefit performance are $35 and can be purchased at Elizabeth’s Restaurant or through the mail by emailing ozarkfilm@wildblue.net or calling 870-251-1189. Appetizers and drinks are included. 1920s or 30s attire encouraged.
View the band’s evocative music video featuring the tune “Keep My Skillet Good ‘n Greasy” at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejA5NAI75M.
The fundraiser is sponsored by First Community Bank, Kent’s Firestone, Elizabeth’s restaurant, and Comfort Suites of Batesville.
