Looking Ahead to 2024

Happy New Year Blues Fans!

As we reflect back on all the good and bad in our lives during 2023, the great John Lee Hooker/Carlos Santana song “The Healer” comes to mind. With it’s wonderful reminder that “the blues, the blues is a healer”, this message echoes to the core of what we do and why we do it. The unifying force of music…culture, compassion and community. We are grateful for all of you and every part played in the synergy of the New York State Blues Festival. Thank you!

It was a great year for our event, with the incredible honor of having the legendary Buddy Guy as our Saturday night headliner. We thought that folks were likely to “come out of the woodwork” for this special appearance that was part of his farewell tour, and they surely did, setting a new attendance record for this long running festival. Other highlights included the fabulous Samantha Fish, who is no doubt making sure that blues guitar virtuosity is being carried on to the next generation. And of course, other national touring acts, Blood Brothers Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, Southern Avenue, Jason Ricci & the Bad Kind, Annika Chambers & Paul DesLauriers and Brandon Santini also played incredible sets, showing off the health and strength of the modern blues scene. Furthermore, we remain blessed with a wealth of local NY state talent who keep the heartbeat of this beloved music going for us all year long.

Looking ahead we are very excited to be putting together another fantastic line-up for June 13-15, 2024. We love the New York State Fairgrounds and are very happy to be returning for a 4th consecutive year. Information on RV camping and ProAct Blues Club VIP tickets will be available soon. The festival will remain admission-free, all ages and open to the general public. We look forward to seeing you!