UKIAH, Calif. – Four days of live music await visitors to the 2018 Redwood Empire Fair, and this year, be prepared to dance away the evening to some of the region’s most celebrated local talent.

On Thursday, Aug. 2, the Back Porch Project will perform two shows at 6 and 9 p.m.

Featuring a powerhouse of local talent- Rodney Grisanti on mandolin, Sid Bishop on guitar, Steve Hahm, guitar and vocals, vocalist Rosie Wetzel, bass player Jeff Taylor and percussionist Ken Ingels, the group has performed separately in different iterations for years.

Following a backyard jam session, they knew they had something special and since then, the Back Porch Project has been touring the area for about a year.

Their “folkgrass” sound, consisting of blues, country, harmonies and superlative instrumentation are a perfect matchup for the fair’s “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams” theme.

On Friday, Aug. 3, one of the area’s most celebrated bands, II Big, will rock the Willow Tree Stage for two shows at 6 and 9 p.m.

Since 1994, the hard-playing, hard-working band has wowed audiences with their take on house rock, boogie and blues music. Their robust catalog of songs on iTunes is a testament to their professionalism and dedication.

II Big has opened for rock ‘n’ roll giants including Foghat, Blue Oyster Cult, Loverboy, Grand Funk Railroad, Joe Walsh, REO Speedwagon, Ted Nugent, Jeff Healy, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Styx.

The band will be playing old favorites and new songs from their recent CD, “Black Cat Bone.” Join Aubrey Hansen, Ken Ingels, Indiana Slim and Derek Soderquist for an evening of “Brand New Classic Rock!”

Put on your dancing shoes for two Saturday night performances by The Funky Dozen.

The 12 master musicians and vocalists combine classic rock guitar, keys and percussion with a horn section, creating a “dance ‘til you drop” sound with influences spanning 50 years of Motown and Uptown Funk: Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, KC and the Sunshine Band, Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown, The Isley Bros, Patty Labelle, Bruno Mars, and Meghan Trainor. The band will perform two sets at 7 and 9 p.m.

Led by Larry Thompson, the Funky Dozen has been performing regionally for about 10 years, with roots that go back to the early 1980’s, when vocalist Eric Peterson and guitarist Thompson played in separate bands on the Mendocino Coast.

Save some energy for the fair’s final musical offering. On Sunday evening, close out your weekend with three exemplary Latino bands

Enjoy Creativos de Tierra Caliente, Grupo La Elegancia and Banda Pacifica, beginning at 5 p.m. on the Willow Tree Stage. All performances are included with your Fair admission ticket.

The fair opens at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Children under 5 are always admitted free.

For more information, visit the Fair’s Facebook page, the Redwood Empire Fair’s website at http://www.redwoodempirefair.com/august-fair/ or phone 707-462-3884.