Announcing our 25th Birthday Party
August 16-18, 2024
It’s not every day a festival turns 25 and we’re taking this opportunity to do all the things we do the best at what will be a very special 25th Edmonton Blues Festival!
As you know, the City of Edmonton has closed our home from 1999 to 2022, the Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park for a minimum of 3 years.
In the summer of 2023, we experimented with RE/MAX Field as a venue but honestly, it was lacking in some very important features. Most importantly, there was no shade, the uneven surfaces and steep stairs caused a number of skinned knees and elbows, and the screen that protects spectators from stray foul balls obstructed the view for many. There was also no access for persons with limited mobility.
There were some great things about RE/MAX Field, especially the luxury suite and reserved seating and our plan is to incorporate those ideas in our NEW venue.
The good folks at Explore Edmonton have been hard at work creating an outdoor music venue on the exhibition lands, that will be called Klondike Park. Long time Edmontonians will know the space I’m talking about…where the giant slide and huge statue of Klondike Mike were located. For others, this space is just off Wayne Gretzky Drive at 114 Ave. Their plan is to have this area up and running for K days 2024, a full month before we plan to move in August 16-18.
The vision for the roughly football field sized space is for lawn, shade trees around the perimeter, a place for our stage at the south end of the space, a food and souvenir vendor row along a boardwalk on the east side. There’s room for a reserved seating area at the front, “Blues Cabanas” (a large tent for 12 that you can purchase for the weekend with great sight lines, cover and seating) along with a spot for our dance floor on the lawn and generous General Admission seating that will allow us to admit children free of charge again.
And, the big question… who are we inviting to help us party? It was important to invite some of the folks that have been with us over the years, but we have always introduced new acts, gone after bigger and better headliners, and have put together revues that can only happen at a festival like The Edmonton Blues Festival…
So, here’s a look at who will be with us….
On Friday we launch the party with Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne who played Sunday at the inaugural festival in 1999. Kenny is followed by Vanessa Collier, who was with us in 2019 and electrified the crowd. We cap Friday with Booker T’s 10 piece Stax Revue, Matt Andersen & The Big Bottle Of Joy, Bayou Boogie celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Clifton Chenier, the King of Zydeco featuring Marcia Ball, Sonny Landreth and CJ Chenier, Blackburn, The Cash Box Kings, Vanessa Collier, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Blue Moon Marquee, and more. Go to our line up page for all the details and we’ll see you August 16-18, 2024!
Saturday will see the Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley band, The Cash Box Kings, Alligator recording sensation Selwyn Birchwood and a revue celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier that will feature Clifton’s son, C.J. fronting his father’s band with guests Marcia Ball and Sonny Landreth!
Sunday’s confirmed acts include Blue Moon Marquee, blues phenom D.K. Harrell who at 25 is lighting up the blues world, Canada’s Blackburn Brothers, nominated for a record 9 Maple Blues Awards this year and to cap our party, Matt Andersen & the Big Bottle of Joy, a 9 piece, multiple award winning group!
We’re working on 4 more stellar bands to fill out the lineup, and as we can confirm those bands we’ll be posting them here.
So celebrate 25 years of award winning, top notch blues; dance, visit with old friends and make new ones. Plan to be the best damn party we’ve ever thrown!
