BLAND — The 71st Annual Belle Fair July 17-20 will host Edge of Forever — A Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band — Saturday night on the Mainstage.

The band’s lead vocalist, Eric Gassen, said the group brings a high energy show to their audience.

“We’ve been together since 2005 and take this very seriously and try to keep it as authentic as possible,” Gassen said. “We have the look and the sound of the original pre-plane crash Lynyrd Skynyrd.”

Originals they play include Sweet Home Alabama, Saturday Night Special, Gimme Three Steps, They Call Me Breeze, and Free Bird, just to name a few.

The group takes the stage at 9 p.m. on Saturday night for a two hour non-stop set, but just because it’s the late show doesn’t mean the littles have to stay home.

“The little kids love the band and we always keep it clean so that they’re able to enjoy it and mom and dad don’t have to cover their little ears,’ Gassen said, adding they usually take it one step further for the younger fans. “They often get to be part of the show. I hand out picks and let them strum my guitar on the end of Free Bird. It makes their little day. Our whole mission is to send everyone home smiling… and tired!”

The lead vocalist says he “cut his teeth on Skynyrd music” when he was aspiring and once he was old enough, decided to step out of the corner bar scene and put the band together.

“We are really looking forward to performing for the event,” Gassen said. “And hope to meet a lot of good folks and make some new frynds!”

Edge of Forever is the last band to play Saturday night, but there is plenty of variety leading up to the main event. Complete with a guitar, fiddle, bass, banjo and drums, the Shiloh Country band has been playing mid-Missouri gigs for 17 years. The country music band will start the show for Edge of Forever at 7 p.m. Saturday night.

Friday night’s 9 p.m. late main show is a modern take on country music by Murphy’s Ford with American country singer/songwriting duo Brandon Matthews and Ryan Tomlinson. According to their bio, the mid-Missourians thought it was “evident from the first song they wrote together that they had something special that deserved to be pursued beyond the back porch.” Their unique sound has landed them many notable opportunities since their start in 2013, including opening shows for some of country music’s finest.

Opening for Murphy’s Ford at 7 p.m. Friday night is Soul Root — Ron Schieferdecker, Rob Frommel, Bill Roe, John Walker, and Theese Weber — making their own brand of “noise.” The group biography says they focus on “get up and dance” music that will “make you want to sing along.”

Thursday night, up-and-coming Collin Nash takes the 8 p.m. performance slott. Nash says his music is influenced by the sounds he grew up on: Hank Williams Jr. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He has fused the sounds of country, southern rock and blues to create a signature sound that won’t be found anywhere else.

“I have every intention of taking this so much further than where it is,” Nash said in his biography.

Following the royalty contest Wednesday evening, local favorite Clifty Creek takes the stage at 9 a.m, bringing some music with “roots deep in traditional sounds that have made bluegrass a favorite in this area.”