Celebrating two decades of success, Cincy Blues Fest continues this weekend to draw fans and families to Cincinnati’s riverfront for music, food, fun, and the best names in the blues.

Cincy Blues Fest 2018 is happening this Saturday Aug 11 from 2:30 p.m. – 12 a.m. at Sawyer Point (705 E Pete Rose Way Cincinnati).

At the center of the Cincy Blues Fest sits the Main Stage, which provides a grand venue for amazing national blues acts, as well as the first-place winners of this year’s Cincy Blues Challenge. You’ll also want to watch the Main Stage for the Blues in the Schools (BITS) band — come and support the next generation of blues masters!

Once again, an impressive number of international, national, and local boogie woogie pianists will grace the stage under Saywer Point’s arches on Saturday. This once-a-year gathering is a treat for fans and performers alike, especially when the artists gather on stage for the grand finale jam at the end of the evening. You never know who’ll you see sitting side-by-side at the keys!

If you’re looking to hear some of the best home-grown blues the tri-state has to offer, head to the Local Stage! Many of the performers have won or placed highly in local, regional, and even national competitions. Come to see your favorite local bands — and discover some you may have not seen before — all in one place on Friday and Saturday.

Here is a full schedule of all musical acts for this year’s event:

Budweiser Main Stage

2:45 FRED GILLESPIE AND THE SWAMP BEES

3:45 RALPH AND THE RHYTHM HOUNDS

4:45 LEROY ELLINGTON’S SACRED HEARTS

5:45 JOHNNY FINK AND THE INTRUSION

7:00 BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS (BITS) BAND

7:45 NOAH WOTHERSPOON BAND

9:00 DELBERT MCCLINTON

10:30 CHUCK BRISBIN & THE TUNA PROJECT + FEATURED BLUES CHALLENGE ARTISTS

Arches Boogie Piano Stage

3:00 LIZ PENNOCK AND DR. BLUES

3:45 BEN LEVIN

4:25 RICKY NYE

5:05 JOSH CHRISTINA

5:45 CHASE GARRETT

6:30 STAGE PHOTO & HALL OF FAME AWARD

7:00 DARYL DAVIS

7:45 HENRI HERBERT

8:30 BOB SEELEY

10:00 DAVE BENNETT

10:45 JUDY CARMICHAEL

11:30 GRAND FINALE

Promenade

3:30 JIMMY D ROGERS

4:30 JIMMY D ROGERS

5:30 JIMMY D ROGERS

8:45 BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS (BITS) BAND

10:15 BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS (BITS) BAND

To purchase tickets to this year’s Cincy Blues Fest, visit http://cincybluesfest.org/tickets/.

Tess Abney

Tess Abney is a freelance writer who was born and raised in the Quad Cities. She spends most of her time attempting to successfully raise three boys. In her free time, writing is her passion. Whether it is sharing local events and businesses with readers or sharing her thoughts on life, she finds comfort in the way words can bring people together.