This year's list of blues festivals is sadly a little shorter than previously, with several events waiting until 2014 or folding up the tent altogether. There's still a lot of great blues music to be heard this year, and every event on this list offers its own charms. Many of these festivals provide an opportunity for local and regional artists to perform alongside the big names in the blues world, and you'll find that some of the most popular bluesmen and women are on the road this summer just waiting to play in your hometown!
May 2013
Moulin Blues Festival
May 4 & 5 @ Ospel, Limburg NETHERLANDS
www.moulinblues.nl
27th Annual Carolina Blues Festival
May 18 @ Greensboro NC
www.piedmontblues.org
20th Annual Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival
May 18 @ Thomson GA
www.blindwillie.com
16th Annual Doheny Blues Festival
May 18 & 19 @ Dana Point CA
Featuring Joe Bonamassa, Guitar Shorty & Jimmie Vaughan
www.omegaevents.com/dohenyblues
Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
May 18 & 19 @ Annapolis MD
www.bayblues.org
Santa Cruz Blues Festival
May 25 & 26 @ Aptos CA
www.santacruzbluesfestival.com
Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival
May 25 & 26 @ Simi Valley CA
Featuring Elvin Bishop, Curtis Salgado & Janiva Magness
www.cajun-blues.com
June 2013
18th Annual Western Maryland Blues Fest
May 30 - June 2 @ Hagerstown MD
www.blues-fest.org
Michael Arnone's 24th Annual Crawfish Fest
May 31 - June 2 @ Augusta NJ
Featuring Anders Osborne, Royal Southern Brotherhood & Tab Benoit
www.crawfishfest.com
Waterfront Blues Festival
May 31 - June 2 @ Toronto, Ontario CANADA
www.waterfrontblues.ca
Eureka Springs Blues Festival
June 13 - 16 @ Eureka Springs AR
www.eurekaspringsblues.com
Chicago Blues Festival
June 6 - 9 @ Chicago IL
www.chicagobluesfestival.us
11th Anniversary Canton Blues Festival
June 7 & 8 @ Canton OH
www.cantonbluesfest.com
24th Annual Billtown Blues Festival
June 9 @ Hughesville PA
www.billtownblues.org
22nd Annual W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival
June 12 - 15 @ Henderson KY
www.handyblues.org
Bentonia Blues Festival
June 15 @ Bentonia MS
www.yazoo.org
Virginia Blues & Jazz Festival
June 14 @ Hot Springs VA
www.vabluesfest.org
Maine Blues Festival
June 14 - 16 @ Naples ME
www.mainebluesfestival.com
Riverfront Blues Festival
June 21 & 22 @ Fort Smith AR
Featuring Johnny Winter, JP Soars & Eric Sardinas
www.riverfrontbluesfest.org
3rd Annual South Bend Blues & Ribs Festival
June 22 @ South Bend IN
www.morriscenter.org
10th Annual Bear Creek Blues Fest
June 29 @ Slater MO
www.bearcreekblues.com
July 2013
26th Annual Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
July 4 - 7 @ Portland OR
www.waterfrontbluesfest.com
Thunder Bay Blues Festival
July 5 - 7 @ Thunder Bay, Ontario CANADA
www.tbayblues.ca
16th Annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival
July 12 & 13 @ Nescopeck PA
Featuring Lurrie Bell, Cedric Burnside & the Kinsey Report
www.briggsfarm.com
Big Rib BBQ & Blues Festival
July 11 - 14 @ Rochester NY
www.rochesterevents.com
Bluesfest International - Windsor
July 12 - 14 @ Windsor, Ontario CANADA
www.thebluesfest.com
Bluesfest International - London
July 12 - 14 @ London, Ontario CANADA
www.thebluesfest.com
North Atlantic Blues Festival
July 13 &14 @ Rockland ME
www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com
Great South Bay Music Festival
July 19 - 21 @ Patchogue NY
www.greatsouthbaymusicfestival.com
Green River Festival
July 20 & 21 @ Greenfield MA
www.greenriverfestival.com
Pittsburgh Blues Festival
July 19 - 21 @ Pittsburgh PA
www.pghblues.com
Pennsylvania Blues Festival
July 26 - 28 @ Danielesville PA
Featuring Bobby Rush, Ruthie Foster & Robert Randolph & The Family Band
www.skibluemt.com
Blues and Bones Festival
July 27 @ Angels Camp CA
www.bluesandbones.com
August 2013
Notodden Blues Festival
August 1 - 4 @ Notodden NORWAY
Featuring John Mayall, Van Morrison & the Tedeschi Trucks Band
www.bluesfest.no
18th Annual Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluesapalooza
August 1 - 4 @ Mammoth Lakes CA
www.mammothbluesbrewsfest.com
Riverfront Blues Festival
August 2 - 4 @ Wilmington DE
www.RiverfrontBluesFest.com
8th Annual Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival
August 3 @ Roanoke VA
www.blueridgeblues.org
4th Annual Big Sky Blues Music Festival
August 3 & 4 @ Noxon MT
www.bigskyblues.com
13th Annual Kitchener Blues Festival
August 8 - 11 @ Kitchener, Ontario CANADA
Featuring Otis Taylor, Grady Champion & Shemekia Copeland
www.kitchenerbluesfestival.com
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Fest
August 9 - 11 @ Clarksdale MS
www.sunflowerfest.org
9th Annual Dutch Mason Blues Festival
August 9 - 11 @ Truro, Nova Scotia CANADA
www.dutchmason.com/festival
21st Annual Chenango Blues Festival
August 16 & 17 @ Norwich NY
www.chenangobluesfest.org
Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival
August 16 - 17 @ Edmonton, Alberta CANADA
www.bluesinternationalltd.com
White Mountain Boogie N' Blues Festival
August 16 - 18 @ Lincoln NH
www.nhblues.com
4th Annual Byron Crossroads Blues Festival
August 24 @ Byron IL
www.byroncrossroadsbluesfestival.blogspot.com
18th Annual Howlin' Wolf Memorial Blues Festival
August 30 @ West Point MS
www.wpnet.org/Howlin_Festival.htm
23rd Annual Dusk 'til Dawn Blues Festival
August 30 - Sept 1 @ Rentiesville OK
www.dcminnerblues.com
6th Annual Niagara Falls Blues Festival
August 30 - September 1 @ Niagara Falls NY
www.niagarafallsbluesfest.org
25th Annual DC Blues Festival
August 31 @ Washington DC
www.dcblues.org
10th Annual Marquette Area Blues Fest
August 31 & September 1 @ Marquette MI
www.marquetteareabluessociety.org
18th Annual Big Muddy Blues Festival
August 31 & September 1 @ St. Louis MO
www.bigmuddybluesfestival.com
September 2013
Bedford Blues & BBQ
September 1 & 2 @ Bedford TX
www.bedfordbluesfest.com
Blues In Hell Festival
September 5 - 8 @ Hell NORWAY
www.bluesinhell.no
Greater Ozarks Blues Festival
September 6 & 7 @ Springfield MO
www.greaterozarksbluesfest.com
San Diego Blues Fest
September 7 @ San Diego CA
www.sdbluesfest.com
Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
September 10 - 15 @Fredericton, New Brunswick CANADA
Featuring Gov't Mule, Black Joe Lewis & the Nighthawks
www.harvestjazzandblues.com
20th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
September 13 - 15 @ Telluride CO
www.tellurideblues.com
October 2012
Highway 61 Blues Festival
October 5 & 6 @ Leland MS
www.highway61blues.com
King Biscuit Blues Festival
October 10 - 12 @ Helena AR
www.kingbiscuitfestival.com
Daytona Blues Festival 2013
October 11 - 13 @ Daytona Beach FL
www.annualdaytonabluesfestival.com
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival
October 18 - 20 @ New Orleans LA
www.crescentcitybluesfest.com