Lancaster Roots and Blues music festival starts today

(Lancaster) — A music festival in the midstate that’s growing in popularity starts later today.

The third annual Lancaster Roots and Blues Festival runs through Sunday night, and features more than 50 artists at different venues in the city.

Some nationwide acts will be a part of the fun too.

Rich Ruoff is founder of the event, and says it’s becoming a real hit.

“As it gains popularity and notoriety, I get inundated with demos and bands and agents contacting me who want to play.”

Ruoff says one of the stars this year is jazz legend Maceo Parker.

“He was James Brown’s band leader. And now, he’s also acted as a band leader for Prince, and of course he’s had this own career. And he travels with a big horn band and it’s all A plus musicians.”

General admission ticket prices for a single day cost $55 for today or Sunday, or $60 for tomorrow.

A three-day general admission ticket to the festival costs $125.