The 20th Annual WORT Block Party will take place Sunday, May 21, on the 200 Block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and will feature six bands including The Clyde Stubblefield All Stars and a very special tribute to the late Funky Drummer who passed away earlier this year.
“Clyde was an amazing musician. He influenced so many people. He has played the Block Party for us in the past and he is actually a personal friend of mine,” Doug Holtz, WORT’s Business and Events Development Director, tells Madison365. “My daughter grew up calling him ‘Uncle Clyde’ and lived in the same duplex on Milwaukee Street growing up. Clyde was an uncle to my kid for my entire life so we’ve all been pretty saddened by his death.
“It was an honor for me to be able to get his namesake band for our Block Party,” he adds. “What better way to honor his memory than to continue that tradition of funk and people having a good time because, really, that’s what Clyde was all about.”
There will be music for everyone with a diverse line-up including Yiddish folk music from Yid Vicious Klezmer Ensemble; roots, country, and bluegrass from The Soggy Prairie Boys; unique Afrobeat and Latin funk from Immigré; classic reggae and dub from Dub Foundation, smooth soul and R&B from The Peoples Brothers Band and a very special tribute to Madison’s Funky Drummer by The Clyde Stubblefield All Stars.
“We have a very diverse line-up for the Block Party this year and I feel like our programming at WORT has become more diverse over the years, too,” Holtz says. “We’re just blown away by the lineup we were able to secure this year. Right down the line, every single band is just spectacular.
“Yid Vicious actually played our very first Block Party 20 years ago so we are excited to have them back,” he adds.
WORT has been Madison’s community radio station for over 41 years now and its annual Block Party has been its signature event.
“In 20 years, the Block Party has gotten pretty big. Part of my aim for my position here at WORT was to grow what was already a good fund-raising event into a spectacular fund-raising event. I’m really happy that it has been getting bigger and better every year,” Holtz says. “It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year.”
Originally, the annual WORT Block Party used to be held next to the radio station down on Bedford Street but has been held on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. downtown the last few years. “It’s a great space. It has a natural incline to it so it works well with the raised stage and the sound. It fit our party perfectly for the last three years,” Holtz says. “The view is just fantastic because we are sandwiched between the state Capitol and Monona Terrace.”
WORT has teamed up once again with the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild to bring the 14th Annual “No Crap on Tap” Beer Garden featuring the area’s finest award-winning microbrews. “We will have over 20 fantastic breweries with a rotating selection so the beers are always changing out,” Holtz says.
The WORT Block Party, sponsored by Madison Essentials, Ganser Co., Summit Credit Union, and High Noon Saloon, is a free event and all are invited from the community. There will also be children’s activities, the WORT boutique, and a raffle with fabulous prizes donated by area businesses. There will be craft vendors with local arts and crafts and information tables staffed by local agencies and non-profits.
“Don’t forget the food. We will have some really good food from a wide variety of food vendors from all around the world from Jamerica to Bonzo to Cafe Costa Rica. We have a new barbecue place coming this year,” Holtz says.
“The 20th annual WORT Block Party will have all of the flavors of all of Madison’s summer festivals. It’s right up there with Orton Fest and La Fete de Marquette and Willy Street Fair,” he adds. “There will be really great local music and local food. It’s an amazing event.”
The 20th Annual WORT Block Party will take place Sunday, May 21, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on the 200 Block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
