This year we're happy to provide our biggest list yet of blues festivals and assorted shindigs that you may want to pencil in on your calendar. Every event on this list offers its own charms, and many provide an opportunity for local and regional artists to perform alongside the big names in the blues world. You'll find that some of the most popular bluesmen and women are on the road this summer, from legends like Dr. John to multiple Blues Music Award winners like Tommy Castro and Tab Benoit.
February 2012
Knology Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival
February 18 & 19 @ Clearwater FL
www.clearwaterseablues.com
May 2012
Moulin Blues Festival
May 4 & 5 @ Ospel, Limburg NETHERLANDS
www.moulinblues.nl
26th Annual Carolina Blues Festival
May 19 @ Greensboro NC
www.piedmontblues.org
19th Annual Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival
May 19 @ Thomson GA
www.blindwillie.com
15th Annual Doheny Blues Festival
May 19 & 20 @ Dana Point CA
www.omegaevents.com/dohenyblues
Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
May 19 & 20 @ Annapolis MD
www.bayblues.org
20th Annual Santa Cruz Blues Festival
May 26 & 27 @ Aptos CA
www.santacruzbluesfestival.com
Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival
May 26 & 27 @ Simi Valley CA
www.cajun-blues.com
June 2012
Eureka Springs Blues Festival
May 31-June 3 @ Eureka Springs AR
www.eurekaspringsblues.com
17th Annual Western Maryland Blues Fest
May 31-June 3 @ Hagerstown MD
www.blues-fest.org
Waterfront Blues Festival
June 1-3 @ Toronto, Ontario CANADA
www.waterfrontblues.ca
Michael Arnone's 23rd Annual Crawfish Fest
June 2-3 @ Augusta NJ
www.crawfishfest.com
Chicago Blues Festival
June 8-10 @ Chicago IL
www.chicagobluesfestival.us
10th Anniversary Canton Blues Festival
June 8 & 9 @ Canton OH
www.cantonbluesfest.com
23rd Annual Billtown Blues Festival
June 10 @ Hughesville PA
www.billtownblues.org
21st Annual W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival
June 13-16 @ Henderson KY
www.handyblues.org
Bentonia Blues Festival
June 14 & 15 @ Bentonia MS
www.yazoo.org
Virginia Blues & Jazz Festival
June 15-17 @ Hot Springs VA
www.vabluesfest.org
Hambone Music Festival
June 15 & 16 @ Rochester MN
www.hambonebluesjam.com
Maine Blues Festival
June 15-17 @ Naples ME
www.mainebluesfestival.com
Riverfront Blues Festival
June 22 & 23 @ Fort Smith AR
www.riverfrontbluesfest.org
T-Bone Walker Blues Fest
June 22 & 23 @ Linden TX
www.tbonewalkerfest.com
27th Annual Monterey Bay Blues Festival
June 22-24 @ Monterey CA
www.montereyblues.com
2nd Annual South Bend Blues & Ribs Festival
June 23 @ South Bend IN
www.morriscenter.org
9th Annual Bear Creek Blues Fest
June 30 @ Slater MO
www.bearcreekblues.com
Boston's Red, White & Blues Festival 2012
June 29-July 4 @ Delray Beach FL
www.bostonsbluesfest.com
July 2012
25th Annual Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
July 4-8 @ Portland OR
www.waterfrontbluesfest.com
15th Annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival
July 6 & 7 @ Nescopeck PA
www.briggsfarm.com
Thunder Bay Blues Festival
July 6-8 @ Thunder Bay, Ontario CANADA
www.tbayblues.ca
Big Rib BBQ & Blues Festival
July 12-15 @ Rochester NY
www.rochesterevents.com
Great South Bay Music Festival
July 13-15 @ Patchogue NY
www.greatsouthbaymusicfestival.com
Bluesfest International - Windsor
July 13-15 @ Windsor, Ontario CANADA
www.thebluesfest.com
Bluesfest International - London
July 13-15 @ London, Ontario CANADA
www.thebluesfest.com
Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival
July 14 @ Roanoke VA
www.blueridgeblues.org
North Atlantic Blues Festival
July 14 &15 @ Rockland ME
www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com
Green River Festival
July 14 & 15 @ Greenfield MA
www.greenriverfestival.com
Ain't Nothin But The Blues Festival
July 20 & 21 @ Bloomington IL
www.aintnothinbuttheblues.com
Pittsburgh Blues Festival
July 20-22 @ Pittsburgh PA
www.pghblues.com
Blues and Bones Festival
July 21 @ Angels Camp CA
www.bluesandbones.com
Pennsylvania Blues Festival
July 27-29 @ Danielesville PA
www.skibluemt.com
August 2012
Notodden Blues Festival
August 2-5 @ Notodden NORWAY
www.bluesfest.no
Riverfront Blues Festival
August 3-5 @ Wilmington DE
www.RiverfrontBluesFest.com
17th Annual Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza
August 3-5 @ Mammoth Lakes CA
www.mammothbluesbrewsfest.com
Blue Star Blues Festival
August 4 @ Littleton CO
www.bluestarconnection.org
Big Sky Blues Music Festival
August 4 & 5 @ Noxon MT
www.bigskyblues.com
12th Annual Kitchener Blues Festival
August 9-12 @ Kitchener, Ontario CANADA
www.kitchenerbluesfestival.com
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Fest
August 10-12 @ Clarksdale MS
www.sunflowerfest.org
8th Annual Dutch Mason Blues Festival
August 10-12 @ Truro, Nova Scotia CANADA
www.dutchmason.com/festival
20th Annual Chenango Blues Festival
August 17 & 18 @ Norwich NY
www.chenangobluesfest.org
White Mountain Boogie N' Blues Festival
August 17-19 @ Lincoln NH
www.nhblues.com
Harvest Moon Blues Festival
August 17-19 @ Lebanon OR
www.harvestmoon2012.com
Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival
August 24-26 @ Edmonton, Alberta CANADA
www.bluesinternationalltd.com
3rd Annual Byron Crossroads Blues Festival
August 25 @ Byron IL
www.byroncrossroadsbluesfestival.blogspot.com
16th Annual Hot Springs Blues Festival
August 30-Sept 1 @ Hot Springs AR
www.spacityblues.org
17th Annual Howlin' Wolf Memorial Blues Festival
August 31 @ West Point MS
www.wpnet.org/Howlin_Festival.htm
22nd Annual Dusk 'til Dawn Blues Festival
August 31-Sept 2 @ Rentiesville OK
www.dcminnerblues.com
September 2012
24th Annual DC Blues Festival
September 1 @ Washington DC
www.dcblues.org
17th Annual Big Muddy Blues Festival
September 1 & 2 @ St. Louis MO
www.bigmuddybluesfestival.com
Marquette Area Blues Fest
September 1 &2 @ Marquette MI
www.marquetteareabluessociety.org
Bedford Blues & BBQ
September 1 & 2 @ Bedford TX
www.bedfordbluesfest.com
Blues In Hell Festival
September 6-9 @ Hell NORWAY
www.bluesinhell.no
