When you think of blues music, you don’t naturally think of Aurora, Illinois, but you really should.

It began in the 1930s, when Chicago blues musicians recorded at the Leland Hotel in Aurora. It wasn’t really a recording studio, but the acoustics made it desirable and led to legendary recording sessions throughout the ’30s.

Last weekend I attended Aurora’s 15th annual Blues on the Fox Festival, which celebrated the city’s rich blues history and showcased current blues musicians. Blues on the Fox is two days full of soulful blues music and outstanding local food.

The Robert Cray Band and Buddy Guy were the two headline acts. Recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, the five-time Grammy award-winning Cray got the event started on Friday night. On Saturday night, Buddy Guy put the finishing touches on a great weekend. Guy is a six-time Grammy Award winner. He is in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame.

We dined at Ballydoyle Irish Pub and Restaurant for our big meal. I ordered one of their specialties, a chicken and spinach boxty, a homemade potato pancake cooked on a griddle and wrapped around chicken, sautéed in a white wine cream sauce with spinach. Other delicious meals included a pulled smoked turkey platter at the Comfort Zone BBQ and the chicken and bleu cheese pizza from Papa Saverios. Frozen cocoa from Kramer’s Smoothies was the perfect sweet refresher during the warm Saturday afternoon.

I always look forward to the Blues on the Fox. The music lineup is always topnotch. It is well-organized and well-controlled. Chicago is famous for its festivals, but this one, just a short drive west of Chicago, might be the best one of all.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist