Georgia BluesFest is Georgia's main annual blues festival; the host city changes from year to year. The family event is in an an open grassy area with nearby campgrounds and hotels. Vendors sell barbecue, hamburgers and hot dogs. No alcoholic beverages are sold, but guests may bring a cooler. No animals are allowed except for service animals. The 2011 festival is scheduled for Oct. 1 in Jefferson, Georgia. Tickets are sold online through Eventful.
The Savannah Music Festival is Georgia's largest musical arts event. In addition to blues, the cross-genre festival includes jazz, folk, classical symphony orchestras, dance, and film. Educational master classes by world-class performers and children's events are also open to attendees. The festival runs March to April annually in venues throughout Savannah.
Blind Willie McTell is a country blues legend born south of Thomson, Georgia, in Happy Valley in McDuffie County. Every year in May, the city of Thomson and McDuffie County organize an outdoor blues festival to honor McTell's music and spirit. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone; children 12 and younger get in free.