Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Downtown Brighton is preparing for this weekend's Smokin' Rock-N-Blues Festival, which offers live music both Friday evening and all day Saturday, along with barbecue vendors from across Southeast Michigan.

"We're kicking off with some blues bands, Kathleen and the Bridge Street Band from Lansing area," said Jennifer Bond, events and sponsorship director for the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce.

"Since is it is September 11, we're going to start with a small ceremony to honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11. We're really trying to have people lean into the Patriot Day, wearing red, white and blue."

The festival originally started out as jazz and blues, but was rebranded as Smokin' Rock-N-Blues last year.

"The barbecue has been the standard throughout all the years, since 2006. We have barbecue trucks from all over Metro Detroit coming in," Bond told WHMI's Morning Drive with Chuck and Madison.

Friday's music lineup also features the '89 Exes and Frog and the Beeftones. Saturday's music begins at noon with Brighton native Violet Von, Howlin' Mercy and Spiral Crush.

"They're a fan favorite. I went to high school with some of those guys," said Dorothy Harrison with Bank of Ann Arbor. "It was super fun to bring them to the festival last year. They brought so much energy, so I said this year we've got to put them later in the lineup."

The festival wraps up Saturday night with Blender and Parallel Fifth.

The event page and complete morning interview are linked below.