The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce its 2021 event! We are thrilled to share the news of a new location, as this year's event will be held at Chevy Court inside the New York State Fairgrounds! The fest is FREE to attend and it will run Thursday, June 24 through Saturday, June 26 with a lineup that will once again bring Central New York to its feet with three days of live music.

 

Moving the festival to a larger venue allows for a greater capacity with vaccinated and unvaccinated sections. Even though a vaccination will not be required to attend this event, proof of a vaccination must be shown upon entry to the festival grounds. As per CDC and New York State guidelines, non- vaccinated attendees will be required to wear a mask and practice social distancing while navigating within the festival parameters. The New York State Rhythm & Blues Festival, Inc. requires non-vaccinated attendees to obtain a free ticket, available on EventBrite.

 

Parking will be available in the fairgrounds’ Brown Lot for $10 per vehicle. Motorcycles can park in a designated area of the lot at $5 per bike. ADA parking will be available in the Emerald Lot for $10 as well.

 

Sponsored by T. J. Sheehan Distributing, the 2021VIP package will include a boxed meal from one of our fantastic festival vendors, access to the Bud Light Blues Club VIP Area with wine & beer, plus preferred seating in front of the stage. Proof of vaccination is required to enter the VIP tent. Tickets are available through the New York State Blues Festival’s website.

 

VIP ticket prices are as follows:

·  Thursday - $75

·  Friday - $100

·  Saturday - $150

·  Friday & Saturday two-day - $200

·  Three-day - $275

 

 

 

 

The three day event kicks off on Thursday, June 24 at 5:00 p.m. on the ProAct Main Stage with Pennsylvania’s own Gabe Stillman Band, Best Guitar Band winner of the International Blues Challenge #35, presented by the Blues Foundation. Capping off the first night will be Robert Randolph & the Family Band! Celebrating their Grammy nominated 2019 release, Brighter Days, the Family Band’s return to Syracuse will easily make the first night a memorable experience.

 

On Friday, June 25, the headliner is no stranger to blues enthusiasts. The Fabulous Thunderbirds will indeed draw a few dedicated fans to the fairgrounds for the evening. “These musicians are so natural and effortless that it’s easy to see why no overdubs (referring to the recording of Strong Like That) were required. Like Wilson, they live and breathe the real deal blues.” – Glide Magazine

 

Chevy Court will be rockin’ into the night as Larkin Poe closes out the 2021 New York State Blues Festival on Saturday, June 26. This incredibly talented sister act was the Thursday night headliner for the fest in 2018 and had Clinton Square bursting with energy. “Larkin Poe are preachin’ the blues and convertin’ the masses.” – Guitar World

 

The complete lineup includes:

 

LARKIN POE

ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS

CAROLYN WONDERLAND

VANESSA COLLIER

GHOST TOWN BLUES BAND

RAY FULLER AND THE BLUESROCKERS

THE GABE STILLMAN BAND

THE RIPCORDS

MILLER AND THE OTHER SINNERS

DIANA JACOBS BLUES BAND

JANE ZELL & THE ZELLTONES

COLIN ABERDEEN & MAX EYLE

HOT DOGS & GIN

CHRIS MERKLEY 

MARK NANNI 

RYAN HOLWEGER

 

The full schedule is as follows:

 

Thursday, June 24  

5pm - 6:15pm Gabe Stillman Band 

7pm - Robert Randolph & the Family Band

 

Friday, June 25

4pm - Hot Dogs & Gin

5pm - Jane Zell and The Zelltones

6pm - Ray Fuller & the Bluesrockers

7:10pm - Chris Merkley 

7:30pm - Vanessa Collier Band

8:40pm - Chris Merkley

9pm - Fabulous Thunderbirds 

 

Saturday, June 26 

1:30pm - Ryan Holweger

2pm - 2:45pm - Diana Jacobs Blues Band 

2:45pm - Ryan Holweger

3:05pm - 4:05pm - Miller and The Other Sinners 

4:10pm - Mark Nanni 

4:30pm - The Ripcords

5:40pm - Mark Nanni

6pm - Ghost Town Blues Band

7:10pm - Colin Aberdeen & Max Eyle

7:30pm - Carolyn Wonderland 

8:40pm - Colin Aberdeen & Max Eyle 

9pm - Larkin Poe

 

Visit the website and check out artist bios for this very talented lineup, then make your plans to visit Chevy Court for the largest free blues festival in the Northeast!

 

Questions can be directed to Festival Director, Eric McElveen, or Secretary, Babette Puzey.