A popular Delaware outdoor music festival is back for another round of jam sessions.

The sixth annual Jeff's Jam will be held from 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Backstretch Bar, 14 S. Sandusky St., and is free to attend.

Jeff's Jam began 12 years ago with a scholarship fund and has escalated into an outdoor concert series with a beer garden, food vendors and a silent auction.

Joann Meyer, owner of Backstretch and coordinator of Jeff's Jam, said that after the death of her husband, Jeff, there were many people who wanted to contribute to a scholarship fund.

"My husband was very involved in the music community," she said. "When he passed, musicians wanted to do something to recognize his contribution to the music community."

Meyer said her husband would allow bands that needed a place to practice to use the bar when it was closed. He also supported up and coming musicians who needed a helping hand.

The event is free because Meyer has felt the purpose of the event is to promote and encourage the music community, and she wanted it available to anyone, she said.

She said because of the event's die-hard sponsors, the costs of the festival have been covered.

All proceeds from the event's silent auction go to the Delaware Music Boosters and the Delaware County Community Foundation.

The foundation provides scholarship funds to children who want to take music lessons or for students who plan to major in music at college.

Past proceeds also have gone to support musicians in unique ways.

"Last year, there was a local musician who died from cancer and we made a donation to help the family with funeral costs," Meyer said.

Four groups will perform during Jeff's Jam, including an all-star band put together by two members of the Delaware Musicians Hall of Fame.

Dolly Dagger is a Delaware group that will play rock and roll; Burning Diesel will play rock and country; Full Tilt's set list includes rock and blues; and Pett Crow is a blues band.

Pett Crow recently won an International Blues Festival award for best new group.

"The group is three kids who are 12, 13 and 14 years old," Meyer said. "It blows my mind that these teens are so accomplished. They are so good it's unbelievable."

The silent auction will feature an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and "date night Delaware" packages. Last year, the auction collected more than $4,000.

The event will feature a beer garden and food vendors with fair-style food.

For more information about Jeff's Jam, call the Backstretch Bar at 740-369-9883 or email info@thebackstretchbar.com.