If you visit only one blues fest in the Pacific Northwest, make it the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon. The nation's second-largest blues fest, it began in 1987 and raises money for the Oregon Food Bank. With several stages along the scenic Willamette River in downtown Portland, the festival attracts more than 200,000 people. It's held around the July 4 holiday, and features nighttime fireworks. Blues giants such as Koko Taylor, Booker T and Taj Mahal have played the Portland fest.
Bronze Blues & Brews in Joseph, Oregon is a nonprofit that has offered this event for almost 15 years as a fundraiser for youth-oriented arts and music programs in Wallowa County, Ore. The one-day event is held outdoors in Joseph's City Park. The beer garden offers brews from some of Oregon's top breweries. A free shuttle bus provides transportation to and from local hotels and motels.
This unique three-day festival in Pacific City, Oregon invites guests to "come celebrate nature with your head, heart and soul." During the day you'll enjoy bird-watching outings on the coast, seminars, field trips and hiking. Friday and Saturday evenings are dedicated to indoor blues concerts. Visitors can also enjoy the restaurants and art galleries of Pacific City, a popular tourist destination.
This three-day festival in Winthrop, Washington, along Washington's Cascade Loop Scenic Highway, has been attracting blues lovers since the late 1980s. Enjoy the scenery of the Methow River Valley while you listen to such artists as Buckwheat Zydeco and Little Feat. The event, held every July, also offers on-site camping, food and vendor booths, and a beer garden.
The second Saturday of every July is a busy day in Ritzville, Washington, with more than 20 acts performing on five stages. The Ritzville fest has been attracting blues lovers to its small, historic downtown since the early 1990s. The party starts Friday night with outdoor music and dancing. Food booths and other vendors are open all day Saturday.
Visitors to Sunbanks Resort in Electric City in the eastern part of Washington can enjoy two different blues festivals every year, one each in May and September. Sunbanks is a family-friendly resort on Banks Lake offering camping, RV sites, cabins and villas. The three- to four-day blues festivals are held on the resort's grounds and attract regional and local acts.