16th Annual Carolina Downhome Blues Festival Is Just Around the Corner! | Arts & Culture

Camden, SC—September 24, 2012—Get ready for one of the South’s premier blues festivals -- the 16th Annual Carolina Downhome Blues Festival. More than 40 performances featuring over 24 performers in 19 different venues make up this year's blues music crawl.  Scheduled for October 4-6, the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival is an award-winning event recognized for featuring legendary blues artists from around the globe. 

Produced and presented by the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC), this year’s Blues Festival will follow the tradition of presenting a slate of new musicians as well as some old favorites. Now in its 16th year, the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival continues to be a must-do weekend in the Carolinas, drawing music fans from around the southeast. There will be blues for all tastes, from Carolina Lowcountry blues to Chicago blues to the best of acoustic Delta and Piedmont blues and folk...and all points in between.

In addition to a great opening night event at the new Jim & Pat Watts Performing Arts Wing at the FAC, and Blues In the Schools shows at both North Central High School and Lugoff-Elgin High School, this year’s performances will fill 16 sites including The Venue on Broad, Old Towne Tavern, the Wood Auditorium, the Town Green, the Kershaw County Farmers’ Market, Food for the Soul, Books on Broad and Victoria Susan Wearable Art and Garden Gate Gallery & Frame Shop.  In addition, there will be live performances at many local dining establishments including Sam Kendall’s, Carolina Café, Old Armory Steak & Seafood House, La Fiesta, Gadgets of Camden, Indigo Jones, and Salud!

In 2003, the Department of South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism awarded the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival the coveted Festival of the Year Award. Since then, the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival has gained recognition on a national level, and appeared in the 2010 October issue of Southern Living magazine.

 “The Carolina Downhome Blues Festival has earned a great reputation among musicians and blues fans for presenting a full spectrum of blues and roots music,” said Danny Riddick, festival technical director.  “Over the years we have been proud to present blues legends while also keeping an eye on the future of the blues with up and coming artists.”

This year’s Carolina Downhome Blues Festival features performances from artists all across the world:  Peter Karp and Sue Foley (Canada;) The Chris O’Leary Band (Woodstock, NY;) Randy McAllister (Austin, TX;) Daddy Mack Blues Band (Memphis, TN;) Robert Lighthouse (Sweden;) Travis Moonchild Haddox (Cleveland, OH;) and the Detroit Blues Party (Detroit, MI) featuring Harmonica Sha, Emanuel Young and Howard Glazer.

Other artists on the schedule include Shrimp City Slim, Beverly Guitar Watkins, Wanda Johnson and the Upstate Rhythm Section, The Mobros, Luckyman Beall, Marshall Ballew, Jeff Beasley Duo, Franc Robert & The Boxcar Tourists, Tad Walters Duo, Rev. Marv Ward Duo, Bill Miller Blues Band, John Hartness, Jeff Liberty, Floyd Callen, and Rusty Davis.

Premier sponsorship for the 16th Carolina Downhome Blues Festival is provided by First Citizens Bank and Heritage Chevrolet Buick GMC.  Additional sponsorship support is provided by Alpine Agency, SC ENT Allergy & Sleep Medicine, TruVista, WACH Fox 57, The State newspaper, CBS Outdoor, KOOL 102.7, the City of Camden and Budweiser of Columbia. Host hotels include The Colony Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Comfort Inn.

TICKETS

Armbands for the Blues Festival are $35 for a weekend pass; $10 for Thursday night, and $15 each for Friday or Saturday night. The Thursday armbands will admit blues lovers into all venues as well as the Opening Night Party at the Jim & Pat Watts Performing Arts Wing at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County. Armbands may be purchased in the FAC box office, by phone using Visa or MasterCard at 803-425-7676, ext. 300, or on the FAC web site at www.fineartscenter.org.  Armbands will also be available during the festival at most performance sites and the downtown Blues Kiosk in downtown Camden.  The Fine Arts Center is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for ticket sales and information.

The FAC will jump-start the three-day fest with an opening night party on Thursday, October 4, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the Jim & Pat Watts Performing Arts Wing located behind the Wood Auditorium at 810 Lyttleton Street in Camden.  Entertainment will be provided by Shrimp City Slim with special guest Beverly Guitar Watkins.  Light refreshments will be provided along with complimentary beer courtesy of Budweiser of Columbia. Afterwards, patrons will be encouraged to “hit the town” for dinner and more great entertainment at area sites. Blues armbands are required for the opening party and will be available at the door for $10.

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is a non-profit organization which serves as a county-wide center for the arts.  The FAC Campus is located at 810 Lyttleton Street in Camden, with office hours Monday through Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and Thursday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. More information is available at www.fineartscenter.org or www.bluesbash.com/camden.

The Fine Arts Center is funded in part by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by the City of Camden, Kershaw County, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina along with donations from businesses and individuals.

For a complete list of artist and a schedule of events, please visit the FAC website at www.fineartscenter.org.