With the economy in shambles and money tighter than ever, blues fans can take solace in the fact that the good, old-fashioned festival provides more entertainment bang for your buck than any summer movie blockbuster or over-priced athletic competition. Rather than staying at home and vegging out in front of your 42" LCD big screen watching rerun Law & Order episodes, why not plan on checking out one of these popular blues festivals that we’ve picked for you below? You can thank us later!
1. Bluesfest International (London & Windsor, Ontario Canada)
Two great blues festivals held during the same weekend, just a couple of hours (and roughly 117 miles/189km) apart, the Bluesfest will happen from Friday, July 16 the through Sunday, July 18th, 2010 in both London and Windsor, Ontario in Canada. Both sites promise a heck of a lot of great music, with Windsor, right across the border from Detroit, featuring talents like Watermelon Slim, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Tab Benoit, and Janiva Magness, among many others. Down the road apiece in London you can enjoy the aforementioned artists as well as Big James & the Chicago Playboys, Mark Hummel & Blues Survivors, and more. No matter which one of these festivals you attend, you’re going to have a good time.
2. Byron Crossroads Blues Festival (Byron IL)
This year’s newest festival is also one of your best entertainment bargains, with tickets going for a mere $5 in advance and $10 on the day of the show. The Byron Crossroads Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2010 in Byron, a beautiful small town about 12 miles southwest of Rockford, and a mere 88 miles northwest of Chicago. The inaugural festival will feature the Cash Box Kings, the Resistors, acoustic-blues duo Filisko and Noden, and Chicago blues stalwarts Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames.
3. Chicago Blues Festival (Chicago IL)
Chicago's Grant Park will be filled with every kind of blues music when the 27th annual Chicago Blues Festival is held from Friday, June 11 through Sunday, June 13, 2010. Sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Special Events along with various commercial supporters, the Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free admission blues festival in the world. This year's event has been scaled back a little due to the economy, but still features such big-league blues talents as Otis Taylor, harmonica wizard James Cotton, funk-folk innovator Bobby Rush, and Delta blues legend David “Honeyboy” Edwards, among many others.
4. Doheny Blues Festival (Dana Point CA)
The 13th annual Doheny Blues Festival has been scheduled for Saturday, May 22nd and Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 at the Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California. This year's festival will feature 26 acts performing on three stages, the performing artists covering a wide range of blues, rock, and soul music. Among this year’s festival performers are blues legend Taj Mahal, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and guitarist Robert Cray as well as rock acts like the Black Crowes and Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
5. Michael Arnone’s Crawfish Fest (Augusta NJ)
The 21st annual Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest will be held this year on Friday, June 4th through Sunday, June 6th, 2010 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey. While Michael's homegrown festival has always featured a number of Cajun and zydeco performers – this year's musical line-up includes Terrance Simien and Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys – the festival can also boast of a number of notable blues performers. This year’s Crawfish Fest will feature talents like the Kenny Neal Band, Mem Shannon, Marcia Ball, and young blues fretburner Joanne Shaw Taylor as well as New Orleans musical mainstays the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
6. Mile High Blues Festival (Denver CO)
It may be one of the newer festivals on this list, but it is also becoming one of the best with an impressive line-up of performers. The second annual Mile High Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, August 7th and Sunday, August 8th, 2010 at the Mile High Marketplace Event Center, the venue offering “25,000 square feet of cool shade and hot music.” This year’s festival features headliners Tab Benoit and recent Blues Music Award winner Ruthie Foster along with such great acts as Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, phenomenal guitarist Carolyn Wonderland, Mike Zito, and former Wet Willie frontman Jimmy Hall, accompanied by Reese Wynans and guitarist Kenny Greenberg. There will also be a “surprise guest artist” performing.
7. Monterey Bay Blues Festival (Monterey CA)
The 25th annual Monterey Bay Blues Festival will be held at the Monterey Fairgrounds from Friday, June 25th through Sunday, June 27th and will feature a wide variety of blues, soul, and R&B artists. Relative blues newcomers like Laurie Morvan, Shane Dwight, and Ruthie Foster will perform alongside veterans like Rory Block, Chick Willis, Candye Kane, and the 2010 “B.B. King Entertainer of the Year” BMA winner Tommy Castro. Among the R&B talents appearing are Johnny Rawls and Lattimore, as well as jazz, zydeco, and gospel performers.
8. North Atlantic Blues Festival (Rockland ME)
The North Atlantic Blues Festival isn’t the largest event on this list, but I guarantee that it won’t fail to entertain. Scheduled for Saturday, July 10th and Sunday, July 11th at the Public Landing in Rockland, Maine, overlooking Rockland Harbour, this year’s festival features some great blues and soul performers. Soul-blues harpist John Nemeth will bring his dynamic show to the Rockland stage, while Saturday night’s headliner is Chicago blues great James Cotton. Sunday will feature a powerful line-up of Moreland & Arbuckle, Shemekia Copeland, and Keb’ Mo’, among other artists.
9. Telluride Blues & Brews Festival (Telluride CO)
Yeah, it’s late in the summer, but the 17th annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival – scheduled for Friday, September 17th through Sunday, September 19th, 2010 will be a great way to close out the summer festival season! This year’s Telluride festival includes headliners like that funky lil’ old blues-rock outfit from Texas, Z.Z. Top, as well as the great B.B. King, and the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band; New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint will also be performing. Up-and-comers J.J. Grey & Mofro, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm, and Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears will appear, as will talents like Otis Taylor, Galactic, and Ronnie Baker Brooks.
10. Waterfront Blues Festival (Toronto, Ontario Canada)
One of the year’s best blues events is held in Toronto in beautiful Woodbine Park, right down near Ashbridge Bay with a view of the Lake Ontario waterfront. This year’s festival will be held from June 4th through Sunday, June 6th, 2010 in the Woodbine Park bandshell and features a wealth of Canadian blues talent, including Fathead, Paul Reddick, and the Alexis P. Suter Band. Chicago blues legends Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials will be appearing on the waterfront, as will critically-acclaimed Southern roots-blues artist Michelle Malone.
