Whatever your taste in music, this month’s Great Mississippi River Balloon Race probably has something to satisfy you.

From rhythm and blues to rock, from nostalgia to zydeco, the annual festival’s music will keep toes tapping all weekend.

And balloon race organizers are betting this year’s draws will have more toes tapping than ever.

&uot;We’re looking for the biggest crowd we’ve ever had,&uot; said Don Gardner, who has been booking bands for the 15-year-old festival for the past 13 years.

The first balloon race featured only balloons, with no entertainment. But the second year featured a band performing on the bed of a flatbed truck, and music has been part of the festivities ever since, Gardner said.

The biggest draw this year likely will be Eddie Money, the Top 40 singer who put &uot;Two Tickets to Paradise&uot; and &uot;Take Me Home Tonight&uot; on the charts. Money has made 12 albums in the past 20 years and has sold more than 12 million records worldwide.

&uot;He is truly what I would call an arena-quality act,&uot; Gardner said.

&uot;He’s probably the most prestigious act we’ve had since I’ve been booking.&uot;

Money’s new album, &uot;Shakin’ With the Money Man,&uot; features 10 of his previous hits and four new studio tracks.

On the new album, Money said he thinks he has recorded &uot;the best record I’ve ever made. I could be more in love with my life and my music today, and this album reflects that to a T.&uot;

Other favorites performing at this year’s balloon race include:

4Mark Lindsay, former lead singer for Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Lindsey will perform as part of Saturday’s Rock for Real Revue, which begins at 3:05 p.m., before Eddie Money performs.

Lindsay is known for his work with the 1960s group Paul Revere and the Raiders, which had a No. 1 hit with &uot;Indian Reservation.&uot; Lindsay has also had success as a solo artists, with Top 40 hits &uot;Arizona&uot; and &uot;Silver Bird.&uot;

The Rock for Real Revue also features Alex Chilton, former lead singer of the Boxtops, and Larry Raspberry.

4Vince Vance and the Valiants. Popular with locals, Vance is an old friend of Gardner’s, who expects the band to bring a lot of people to the festival when they performs Sunday afternoon.

4Patrick Henry and the Liberation, which will be the dance band for Saturday night’s street dance.

Great Mississippi River Balloon Race

entertainment schedule

(times are tentative)

Friday, Oct. 20

Marva Wright and the BMWs

Saturday, Oct. 21

Noon Earth Angels

1:25 p.m. King Konga

3:05 p.m. Rock for Real Revue

featuring Mark Lindsay

5:30 p.m. Eddie Money

7:15 p.m. Patrick Henry and the

Liberation (street dance)

Sunday, Oct. 22

noon Legacy

1:25 p.m. Chubby Carrier and the

Bayou Swamp Band

3:10 p.m. Vince Vance and the

Valiants

5:15 p.m. Al &uot;Little Fats&uot; Jackson,

backed by the Blue-Eyed

Soul Revue; followed by

Ernie K-Doe.