TREASURE COAST, Fla. (Dec. 5, 2013) – BC Running announces a partnership with Flavors Festivals to deliver a marathon weekend event: The Marathon of the Treasure Coast and BBQ & Blues Fest 2014. The second annual Treasure Coast BBQ & Blues Festival will be held Feb. 28 to March 2. The event begins at Indian RiverSide Park and, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the City of Stuart, includes a first-ever, high-profile marathon endurance event on the Treasure Coast. BC Running of the Treasure Coast is hosting the official full-length individual marathon in Martin and St. Lucie counties, which will include a four-person full marathon relay for charity, as well as continue its tradition, from the Torrey Pines Race for Research, of a 5K, half marathon, and wheel-chair event.
The course winds its way, for 26.2 miles, through the beautiful streets of Stuart, including the downtown area, Jensen Beach, Hutchinson Island and Sewall’s Point. The route highlights many of the beautiful areas of the Treasure Coast community and its scenic water views of the St. Lucie and Indian River estuaries along the Atlantic Ocean. The marathon start and finish line, timed by Mike Melton Timing, will be augmented by the excitement of the BBQ & Blues Fest for a pre-race pasta dinner Saturday and a marathon after-party Sunday. The BBQ & Blues event organizers have loaded the stage with the best of the regions national blues performers. More than a dozen blues bands and featured performers will rock the stage Friday through Sunday. Opening acts Delta Dave & the Lagoon Squad and Dave Shelley & Bluestone will kick off the weekend Friday night.
Some of the performers featured throughout the weekend will include:
- Delta Dave & the Lagoon Squad
- David Shelley & Bluestone
- Category 5 & the Storm Horns
- Jensen Beach All-Stars
- Nouveaux Honkies
- JP Soars & the Red Hots
- John Stratton/Stevie B
- The Pitbull of the Blues Band
- Bobby Lee Rodgers
In addition to showcasing an amazing talent line-up, the Marathon of the Treasure Coast and BBQ & Blues Fest includes a full weekend festival offering competitive endurance races, an expo, great music, national award-winning barbecue and a rich family- oriented experience. Beginning Friday night, the festival will come alive when the soulful sounds of blues and the sweet smell of barbecue fill the air. The marathon endurance events will launch Saturday morning with a 5K hosted by Care Net followed by the opening of the runners’ expo extending throughout the rest of the weekend. The full and half marathons start at 6 a.m. Sunday followed by the marathon after party to fill out an entire weekend of fitness, good food and great music.
For non-runners, online tickets for the BBQ & Blues Fest are $10 per day and go on sale Dec. 15. To purchase, visit www.bbqbluesfestivals.com. Racers have access to all three days of the BBQ & Blues Festival with purchase of a $10 ticket to the marathon after-party when registering for any race event at www.treasurecoastmarathon.com. These events will sell out! Get your tickets and register today for the coolest weekend event to hit the Treasure Coast for the Stuart centennial: endurance, blues and barbecue — a fun-filled family weekend!
About Our Beneficiaries: The Marathon of the Treasure Coast is sponsoring charitable racing events to support the Florida Oceanographic Society; Hibiscus Children’s Center of Martin County; Achilles International; the Lt. Robert B Fletcher Memorial Foundation; Team World Vision; Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies; and Care Net Crisis Pregnancy Center of the Treasure Coast. A portion of BBQ & Blues Fest ticket proceeds will benefit The Rivers Coalition and The Blues Alliance of the Treasure Coast. For more information on our extensive list of beneficiaries, visit www.treasurecoastmarathon.com/run-charity- overview and www.bbqbluesfestivals.com.
About The Marathon of the Treasure Coast: Hosted by BC Running of the Treasure Coast, the Marathon of the Treasure Coast is designed to enhance the community within which it serves by bringing visitors from outside the county, state and country to experience all that the Treasure Coast has to offer. BC Running For more information, visit www.treasurecoastmarathon.com.
About BBQ & Blues Festivals: Produced by Flavor Festivals, the festival is produced in two cities, Portland, Maine, and Jensen Beach, Fla., with plans for expansion into additional markets on the Eastern seaboard later in 2014 and beyond. For more information on the festival, visit www.bbqbluesfestivals.com.