This festival, hosted by the restaurant and blues club Rick's on the Square, takes place on the fourth Saturday in April each year. The festival usually hosts at least six nationally and internationally recognized bands who perform over a twelve hour period, noon to midnight, in downtown Tyler.
The style of blues played here is varied, ranging from traditional to eclectic, jazz inspired tunes. Advance purchase of tickets through local merchants and online receive a discount, but full price tickets are available at the gate. Lawn chairs, but not lounge chairs, are allowed.
Downtown Square
Tyler, TX
heartoftyler.com/txbluesfest.htm
A pioneer in the use of the electric guitar in blues music, T-Bone Walker was born in Linden and served as an early influence on such rock and roll greats as Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix. Every year the east Texas town of Linden remembers one of its' most famous sons during this blues festival.
The performers at this festival, held in mid-June, vary from year to year but recent guests have included blues great Keb Mo', Guitar Shorty, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and many others.Tickets to the indoor show are available online or by telephone while tickets for the outdoor show are only available at the gate.
Music City Texas Theater - Indoor Performances
Legion Field - Outdoor Performances
Linden, TX
tbonewalkerfest.com
This festival is held over the Labor Day Weekend in Bedford, located between Dallas and Ft. Worth. The festival not only features top notch blues entertainers but, as an added bonus, is also the site of a Bar-B-Q competition with professional cooks traveling here from across the United States.
The musicians change from year to year but legends such as Taj Mahal and Robert Cray have been booked here.For those who want the festival experience lawn chairs and blankets are permitted. But coolers, tape recorders, pets, video cameras and flash photography are not.Tickets to this festival can be purchased online or at certain local locations.
Grounds adjacent to Harris Methodist Hospital (HEB) at highways 121 and 183
817-952-2128
bedfordbluesbbq.com
The Navasota Blues Festival is held in memory of Navasota's own bluesman, Mance Lipscomb (1895 -- 1976). He lived most of his life as a tenant farmer but was discovered and began recording during the folk music revival of the 1960s. He played at numerous festivals including for a crowd of more than 40,000 at the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1961.
The blues festival in his honor is held each year in August and includes a number of constantly changing acts, both local and national. Tickets are available at the gate.
Grimes County Expo Center & Fairgrounds
5280 FM 3455
Navasota, TX
936-870-3331
navasotabluesfest.org