(Lewiston, NY) Artpark spices up summer on July 16 with its always-energetic Cajun Festival featuring the red hot sound of national recording artists Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, as well as Lil' Brian and the Travelers. The performance is part of the venue's "Wednesdays on the Gorge" free outdoor concert series, which is presented by HSBC Bank and HSBC Mortgage Corporation. All of Artpark's free concert events begin at 6:30pm and include hands-on art workshops for children.

STEVE RILEY & THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS

Riley & the Mamou Playboys are three-time Grammy nominees who have been one of Louisiana's most highly successful Cajun bands since their debut in 1988. After a stint playing accordion with Dewey Balfa as a teenager, Riley formed his own band when he was 18. Although Riley didn't speak French growing up, he eventually became more fluent in the language and the songs on his albums are in French, with only a few exceptions. Riley and his band have been very prolific, having released 10 albums since 1990, and they're currently one of the most visible Cajun bands on the touring circuit.

Riley and his band are distinguished by several factors: they are a very tight and versatile unit that can draw from a range of musical idioms. Besides being a fine accordion player and singer, Riley also excels on fiddle while long-time fiddler David Greely-who's also an accomplished songwriter-shares some of the vocal chores. The Mamou Playboys bring a new creative plan to familiar Cajun material but also dig deep into the local cultural legacy to revive unknown gems.

LIL' BRIAN & THE TRAVELERS

Lil' Brian is a virtuoso of both the large piano note accordion and the old-style diatonic accordion and is serious about showing how this instrument can be as hip as any in contemporary music.

For the past 10-plus years, Lil' Brian & The Travelers have developed a reputation as one of the most innovative and musically accomplished Zydeco bands on the scene. Brilliantly drawing upon contemporary urban black sounds while remaining respectful and true to their Zydeco roots, Lil' Brian and The Travelers have created an incredibly exciting modern form of Zydeco music that is both rhythmically and lyrically sophisticated and just plain unbelievably funky. In fact, they have dubbed their music "Z-Funk."

EVENT DETAILS

Like all of Artpark's free concert events, each evening includes a wide variety of free family-friendly hands-on art workshops, including drawing, face-painting, dress-up, self portraits and more.

"Wednesdays on the Gorge" is also supported by Certo Brothers Distributing Company, Modern Corporation, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.

Artpark's Outdoor Amphitheater opens to the public at 2pm on event nights, and can be accessed via the Upper Park's Portage Road entrance off of Center Street or through South 4^th Street nearest the Mainstage Theater.

Carry-ins (food and beverages) are prohibited at all of Artpark's free concert events while on-site parking is .

For a full schedule of 2008 events, call the Artpark Box Office at (716) 754-4375 or visit artpark.net.

The Earl W. Brydges Artpark is being operated by Artpark & Company, Inc. for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under a license agreement.

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