Patrons enjoy the Benicia Waterfront Festival in 2015. (Photo courtesy of Benicia Waterfront Festival)

Benicia will be alive with the sound of music this weekend as Benicia Main Street’s annual Waterfront Festival takes places this Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The two-day festival will be held at First Street Green, located at the corner of First and B streets. There will be live music, craft beer tastings, wine by the glass, tasty foods, a vendor village and kids’ activity alley at the event. The festival will also include water activities, such as a District 24 Grand Prix Regatta out in the water from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Grand Prix came together through the Benicia Yacht Club. One other water-related event on Sunday will be wakeboarding from 1 to 4 p.m.
The prices for attending the waterfront festival are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, and free for kids less than 12 years accompanied by an adult. Two-day weekend passes for $15 will also be available for purchase. People can find discounted coupons for the festival in local newspapers, flyers all over town and on the Benicia Waterfront website.
Oh yeah, and there’s music too, all from bands throughout the Bay Area. Bands playing at the music festival include Napa-based oldies cover band J Silverheels, Pleasanton-based rock and roll cover band Public Eye, San Francisco-based party band Hella Good, Pink Floyd tribute group House of Floyd, Oakland-based funk and R&B band Farenhyte 5150 and Oakland-based Latin funk band Tortilla Soup. Silverheels will open the festival on Saturday at 11:30 a.m., followed by Public Eye at 1:30 p.m. and Hella Good closing the first day of the festival at 4 p.m. House of Floyd kicks off the second day of music at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by Farenhyte 5150 at 1:30 p.m. Tortilla Soup will close the Waterfront Festival at 4 p.m.
Deborah Hausman, Benicia Main Street’s event coordinator, says she is looking forward to hearing Hella Good play at the festival.
“Personally, I like it when I see everybody having a good time and just letting loose and dancing,” Housman said. “It’s really enjoyable to see that, especially in the middle of the summer on a sunny day”
For five years, the Waterfront Festival was transformed into a jazz and arts festivals. Five years ago, it reverted back into a music festival. Housman says this change occurred to broaden not only the types of music at the festival but to also attract more attendees to the event.
“The Waterfront Festival is Benicia’s major festival,” Housman said. “Every great town has one. We definitely have a great scenic backdrop for it and the weather is going to be great for it.”

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