Mississippi (and neighboring) Blues Festivals in 2012. This list is compiled by members of The Blues Highway Association, a group of volunteers who love and promote the Blues in the Delta. Every effort has been taken to make sure it's accurate, but it's best to check with the contact person, with Mississippi Tourism (1-866-see-miss), The Mississippi Delta Tourism Association (1-877-DELTA-MS), Roger Stolle at Cathead, or The Delta Center before making plans. Remember that definitions and expectations of "Blues" and "Festival" differ, so call the contact person to avoid disappointment! Please send any corrections, additions or deletions to The Delta Center.
Don't forget to check the
Mississippi Blues Commission website
for festival information, and listings of live performances throughout the
State.
Mississippi Blues Festivals
in 2012 (updated December, 2011)
| Blues Festivals 2012 | ||||
| Event | Date | Location | Contact | Contact Number/ Email |
| New Year's Festival | December 30- Jan 1 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| Ground Zero Blues Club | 662.624.5992 | |||
| Clarksdale Film Festival | January 26-29 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| 662.624.5992 | ||||
| International Blues Challenge | January 31 - February 4 | Memphis | Joe Whitmer | joe@blues.org |
| Beale Street | http://www.blues.org/index.php4 | |||
| World Catfish Festival | April 14 | Belzoni | Chamber of Commerce | http://www.catfishcapitalonline.com/catfishfest.htm |
| Three Forks Music Festival | TBA | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| *New Roxy Theatre | 662.624.5992 | |||
| Vicksburg Riverfest | April 20-21 | Vicksburg | http://www.riverfestms.com/ | |
| Juke Joint Festival | April 12-15 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| 662.624.5992 | ||||
| Crosstie Arts and Jazz Festival | April 21 | Cleveland | Amy Buckels | info@crosstie-arts.org |
| Cat Head Mini Blues Fest | April 15 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| Cotton District Arts Festival | April 21 | Starkville | Arma D. Salazar | asalazar@starkville.org |
| http://starkvillearts.org | ||||
| Double Decker Arts Festival | April 27-28 | Oxford | Mary-Kathryn Millner | tourism@oxfordms.com |
| http://www.oxfordcvb.com/doubledecker/2010/index.html | ||||
| 31th Annual Blues Awards | May 10 | Memphis | Joe Whitmer | joe@blues.org |
| Cook Convention Center | http://www.blues.org/index.php4 | |||
| Market Street Festival | May 4 and 5 | Columbus | Amber Murthree | www.marketstreetfestival.com |
| 662.328.6305 | ||||
| Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest | May 12 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | CatHead |
| 39th Annual Day in the Park | May 5 | Laurel | www.laurelartsleague.com | |
| sara@stinsonpetroleum.com | ||||
| Crossroads Blues and Heritage Festival | May 12 | Rosedale | Will Tierce | 662.759.3841 |
| www.rosedaleblues.com | ||||
| 21st Leland Crawfish Festival | May 12 | Leland | Billy Johnson | bjohnson@highway61blues.com |
| http://www.visitthedelta.com/festivals_events/?id=1725 | ||||
| BB King Festival | TBA | Indianola | BB King Museum | 662-887-9539 |
| Blues, Bikes, and BBQ festival | TBA | Indianola Main Street | mail@indianolamainstreet.org | |
| 662-887-2170 | ||||
| North Mississippi Hill Country | June 29 -30 | Potts Camp | Sara Davis | http://www.visithollysprings.com/events/ |
| Picnic | sarad@olemiss.edu | |||
| http://northmississippihillcountrypicnic.blogspot.com/ | ||||
| Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival | August 10-12 | Clarksdale | John Sherman | jsher203@bellsouth.net |
| Roger Stolle | roger@cathead.biz | |||
| Cat Head Mini Blues Festival II | August 12 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | 662.624.5992 |
| 13th Annual HWY 61 Blues Festival | 29-Sep | Leland | Janet Webb | jmwebb@techinfo.com |
| http://www.highway61blues.com/festival_page_1.htm | ||||
| Holly Ridge Jam | 30-Sep | Leland | http://www.highway61blues.com/festival_page_1.htm | |
| King Biscuit Blues Festival | Columbus Day Weekend | Helena | Rayne Gordon | rayne49@yahoo.com |
| October 4-6 | http://www.bluesandheritagefest.com/ | |||
| Cat Head Mini Blues Festival | October 7 | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | 662.624.5992 |
| Pinetop Perkins Homecoming | October 7 | Clarksdale | James Butler | 662.902.3866 |
| http://www.pinetopperkins.com/ | ||||
| 8th Annual MS Delta Regional Blues Challenge | October 14 -Bands | Indianola/Club Ebony | Janet Webb | jmwebb@tecinfo.com |
| October 21- Solos | ||||
| Hambone Festival | Halloween Weekend | Clarksdale | Roger Stolle | Cathead |
| 662.624.5992 | ||||
| St. Gabriel Harvest Festival | 7-Nov | Mound Bayou | Sister Donald Mary Lynch | 662.741.3255 |