The third annual Lowertown Roots Music Festival coming up this weekend is a relatively modest affair, and that’s its strong suit, I think.  The overall schedule has a satisfying breadth of offerings and a big-tent interpretation of “roots music” – including bluegrass string pickers and blues fiddling, but also Louisiana zydeco, Swedish folk music  and jazz. The festival has added a couple of auxiliary stages to the Mears Park mainstage this year, with performers at the Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar and the Hat Trick Lounge. But the offerings are easily navigable, with none of the logistical barriers to access of the larger music festivals (transportation and parking, a mass of performances to sift through and schedule around, etc.).  You can just show up, see what’s playing.

Photo courtesy of the artists and Lowertown Roots Music Festival

Speaking of which, the headliners in Mears Park are concentrated in a sequence of Saturday performances: Swedish folk instrumentals from Paul Dahlin and the American Swedish Institute Spelmanslag and Nordic Angst in the afternoon, followed by bluegrass by the High 48s and jazz violinist Randy Sabien. The main event at 8:30p.m. features a set from Grammy-winning zydeco player, C.J.Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band.

The Black Dog has just a few performers lined up for the festival, with shows Friday and Saturday night, but they’re all noteworthy for their musical chops: Dreamland Faces (quirky, atmospheric instrumentals on musical saw and accordion) will play there Friday; the world roots mélange Rhizosphere will take the Black Dog stage Saturday followed by a late set by “old-time string band” Mike in the Wilderness.

Mike in the Wilderness “old time stringband.” Photo via the artist’s website

The Hat Trick has a grab bag of singer/songwriter types and jazz vocalists in store, rounded out by a strong headliner, Scrapegoat and the Skin and Bones Trio. It’s worth dipping in there, too, if their sort of “riverbilly” strikes your fancy.

Lowertown Roots Music Festival in Mears Park is Saturday, July 27 at 221 E. 5th St., St. Paul. The first set is at 2:30 p.m., and the last begins at 8:30 p.m. All shows in the park are free and open to the public. Auxiliary performances will take place at the Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar (on the corner of 4th and Broadway) on Friday and Saturday evenings (July 26-27); and at the Hat Trick Lounge (134 E. 5th St.) on Saturday, July 27, with back-to-back sets from 2-10 p.m. For a full schedule of performers and more info, visit www.lowertownrootsmusicfestival.com.