Chicago Blues Festival Grant Park

25 Years of Singing the Blues the Windy City Lake Front

May 10, 2008 Christine Nyholm

The 25th anniversary of the Chicago Blues Festival hears sounds of music on seven stages at Grant Park near the Lake Michigan water front.

The Chicago Blues Festival is 25 years old in 2008! The blues music festival features entertainment on seven stages in Grant Park near the lakef ront. This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Chicago Blues Festival, which takes place from Thursday, June 5 - Sunday, June 8 in Chicago's Grant Park.

Chicago Blues Festival first opened in 1984. The blues music event has grown into one of .Chicago's most popular summer events since the inaugural festival. In 1984, the three day blues festival featured one stage of entertainment and was attended by 165,000 people. In 2007 Chicago Blues Festival featured six stages of entertainment over a four day period and was attended by over 800,000 music lovers.

Grant Park fills with thousands of blues lovers celebrating the heritage of blues in America. Chicago Blues Festival remembers legendary performers who created the music. This year's festival celebrates the centennials of music legends Louis Jordan, Robert Petway and Tommy McClennan.

Chicago Blues Festival Features Continuous Entertainment on Seven Different Stages. Stages include Petrillo Music Shell, U.S. Cellular Front Porch,, Louisiana Bayou Station and Social Club,Gibson Guitar Crossroads, Mississippi Juke Joint, Maxwell Street Corner and Zone Perfect All-Natural Nutrition Bars Route 66 Roadhouse.

Petrillo Music Shell features headliners Johnny Winter with James Cotton, The Queen of Blues Koko Taylor, Buckwheat Zydeco and blues legend B.B. King. Following is just a sample of the abundance of blues music at the Free Chicago Blues Festival.

• "Catfish Blues" on Thursday. Opening night Muddy Waters features Johnny Winter with James Cotton, Big Time Sarah and the BTS Express and Duke Robillard's Tribute to Louis Jordan.
• "Sweet Home Chicago" on Friday.Acclaimed Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine headlines, along with a set by Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater. A tribute to the past features a set with Ruby Andrews, Cicero Blake and Jackie Ross.
• "Let the Good Times Roll" on Saturday. Buckwheat Zydeco headlines with classic sounds of New Orleans. Chicago favorites Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials and Barbara Lynn with Lil' Buck and the Buckaroos.
• "Everyday I Have the Blues" on Sunday: The festival comes to a grand finale with blues Legend B.B. King making his first appearance at the Chicago Blues Festival in 20 years. Other headliners include Little Willie Littlefield and Bobby Parker. Vocalist Karen Carroll performs with Charlie Love and Lurrie Bell.

The Chicago Blues Festival is a Free Event. Festival hours are 11:00am to 9:30 pm. The free event runs from Thursday, June 5 through Sunday, June 8.

Festival sponsors include 93XRT, CLTV Television, Chicago Tribune, Hinckley Springs, Gibson Pure, Louisiana Office of ths Lt. Governor, Zone Perfect, Southwest Airlines, Chicago's Essex In, Hyatt Regency Hotel and Rom Marker's Blues Breakers, Dominick's, WGN Television and U.S. Cellular.

Chicago's Navy Pier features dazzling fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The pyrotechnics display takes place at 9:30 pm on Wednesday nights and at 10:15 pm on Saturday nights.

The Mayor's Office of the City of Chicago recommends public transportation during this heavily attended event. Metra trains transport people form surrounding suburbs to the Windy City. CTA buses provides transportation around the city. See the CTA website for schedule information and maps.

For information about Summerfest Music Festival in Milwaukee, see Summerfest Music Fest Milwaukee WI

The copyright of the article Chicago Blues Festival Grant Park in NE U.S. Travel is owned by Christine Nyholm. Permission to republish Chicago Blues Festival Grant Park in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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