The New York State Blues Festival is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Beginnings Credit Union KJ James Memorial Scholarship, presented annually to outstanding young musicians from across New York State.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Admission-Free New York State Blues Festival on June 11, 12 & 13!
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce the return of our annual guitar raffle, benefiting Blues Ignition, the festival’s student band program.
The New York State Blues Festival is one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer in Syracuse, New York.
For those looking to elevate their festival weekend, the ProAct Blues Club VIP offers a premium way to enjoy the event in comfort and style.
Gianelli Sausage will return as the Main Stage Sponsor for the 2026 New York State Blues Festival, taking place June 11–13 at Chevy Court
The New York State Blues Festival is proud to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Beginnings Credit Union KJ James Memorial Scholarship.
Proceeds from the fundraiser help support the New York State Blues Festival’s General Operating Fund. This helps sustain the free-admission festival along with the program’s music education and community programs.
The New York State Blues Festival is proud to present Blues Ignition, its student performance ensemble, for a special live appearance at Destiny USA on Saturday, April 18 from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
The New York State Blues Festival will host its Annual Spring Fundraiser Concert on Monday, April 27, at Middle Ages Beer Hall in Syracuse, featuring acclaimed blues artist Tommy Castro & The Painkillers with special guest Nate Gross.
It’s time to “save the dates” for the 2025 New York State Blues Festival! This annual admission-FREE event will once again be held at Chevy Court at the New York State Fairgrounds
The countdown to the 2026 New York State Blues Festival has officially begun — and for those looking to elevate their festival experience, Early Bird upgrades are now available!
Legendary guitarist Warren Haynes teamed up with Gibson Gives for a special fundraiser benefiting our Blues Ignition student band program.
We can’t say it enough — thank you to everyone who made the 2025 New York State Blues Festival our biggest event ever!
The New York State Blues Festival is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 CFCU KJ James Memorial Scholarships, revealed during this year’s record-breaking weekend of live music at Chevy Court.
The upstairs room of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is the place to be Thursday night April 24 as Syracuse legends,The Kingsnakes, reunite for an intimate performance.
The New York State Blues Festival is happy to announce that they are teaming up with the Canadian organization, SoundsUnite, to bring greater online resources to the students involved with their youth development initiatives.
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce that the Warren Haynes Band will headline this year’s festival with a Saturday night June 14 performance at NYS Fairgrounds’ Chevy Court (Syracuse).
Founded in 1992 with the purpose of preserving and promoting blues music and culture, our nonprofit organization strives to bring the best local, regional and national talent to the stage for this three-day event.
New York State Rhythm & Blues Festival, Inc. announced today a grant award[s] totaling $49,500 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the nonprofit arts and culture sector.
It’s time to “save the dates” for the 2025 New York State Blues Festival! This annual admission-FREE event will once again be held at Chevy Court at the New York State Fairgrounds
What a first day and what a night! Gates open today, Friday at 3pm and tomorrow, Saturday at 11 am. We had perfect weather for our first day. So much buzz around Hanna PK & the Dynamite 88’s! Bywater Call would have blown the roof off Chevy Court if there…
Tell Me Something Good: Playing the blues June 7, 2024 by localsyr.com Colin Aberdeen has been playing the Blues at nightspots around Central New York for most of his lifetime. But this gig is different. And these kids have a new story to tell… about the morning a Bluesman came…
There are a small number of ProAct Blues Club VIP tickets still available for each night. These tickets include complimentary beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks, reserved seating in front of the main stage, access to a side stage viewing deck and the VIP party tent.
The New York State Blues Festival is one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer in Syracuse, New York. Drawing blues music fans from all over the state of New York, nearly 20 different states and a handful of countries.
Blues in the Schools: By The Numbers with Colin Aberdeen
Fundraiser Upstairs @Dinosaur BBQ with The Ripcords & The Boneyard Horns benefitting our Blues in the Schools and Blues Ignition youth initiatives.
We are thrilled to announce a special giveaway in partnership with Broadway in Syracuse! One lucky person will win 2 tickets to the Tuesday, April 16 opening night of “Hadestown” at the Landmark Theater in Downtown Syracuse.
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce that blues rock legends, Little Feat, will be headlining this year’s festival with a Saturday night June 15 performance at NYS Fairgrounds’ Chevy Court (Syracuse). Blues royalty Shemekia Copeland and guitar master Matt Schofield, will add to the day’s big…
In addition to the K.J. James Memorial Scholarship and Blues in the Schools, the New York State Blues Festival’s youth development program is proud to present Blues Ignition.
The New York State Blues Festival is very happy to announce that we have made it to the final four in Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMY’s) People’s Choice contest. We are grateful for your support and encourage you to keep voting!
Looking ahead we are very excited to be putting together another fantastic line-up for June 13-15, 2024. We love the New York State Fairgrounds and are very happy to be returning for a 4th consecutive year.
Looking ahead we are very excited to be putting together another fantastic line-up for June 13-15, 2024. We love the New York State Fairgrounds and are very happy to be returning for a 4th consecutive year.
Holiday shopping to do? Blues fan birthday coming up? Wardrobe need something new? Check out all of the great New York State Blues Festival merch that we have up for sale!
The New York State Blues Festival announced today a grant award totaling $40,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the nonprofit arts and culture sector.
The New York State Blues Festival is a community oriented, admission-FREE, all ages gathering that believes in being accessible to everyone who is interested in attending. So as we struggle with the inflationary challenges of our post pandemic world, we need to rely heavily on the generosity of donors like you.
New York State Blues Festival is happy to announce that we will be co-hosting a showing of the documentary film “Bonnie Blue: James Cotton’s Life in the Blues” on Wednesday November 15 at Le Moyne College
Each year the New York State Blues Festival puts together a band made up of students from CNY, called Blues Ignition, to perform at the big event. Following a break in the program during the pandemic, the project gained new momentum this year, with the addition of local blues musician…
The New York State Blues Festival is happy to announce that the winner of the Newman & Lickstein 2023 KJ James Memorial Scholarship is Eamonn Hubert of Endicott, NY.
Join us Tuesday, August 1 at the Maplewood Bar & Grill in Liverpool for Tuesday Night Open Jam Fundraiser. We’re gonna take ALL OF THE MONEY and donate it to the BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS program, right here in Syracuse.
Recent articles about the New York State Blues Festival from area media outlets.
Liverpool Elementary hosted our first 2023 Blues in The Schools blues education program, Thursday May 11. Local bluesman, Colin Aberdeen, engaged with 5th grade students by providing blues history, storytelling, sample of blues beats and sang songs with impromptu lyrics written by groups of 3-4 students during their 45-minute sessions.
Celebrity bartender night! Fundraiser with Fillmore Blues Band benefitting our Blues in the Schools, KJ James Scholarship and Blues Ignition initiatives.
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce its completed line-up for their 2023 event happening June 15 – 17 at Chevy Court at the NYS Fairgrounds!
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce its headlining acts for their 2023 event happening June 15-16-17 at Chevy Court at the NYS Fairgrounds. Headlining night one of the 3 day fest will be blues rock guitar duo Blood Brothers featuring Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia on…
It’s time to “save the date” for the 2023 New York State Blues Festival! This annual admission-FREE event will once again be held at Chevy Court at the New York State Fairgrounds, Thursday June 15 – Saturday June 17, 2023. Founded in 1992 as a celebration of blues music and…
After a two year hiatus, the Blues Ignition Band will be kicking off the Saturday lineup at the 30th anniversary celebration of the New York State Blues Festival, happening June 16-18 at Chevy Court inside the New York State Fairgrounds.
Featuring Brandon Miller with Special Guest, The Fillmore Blues Band Thursday, April 28 at King of Clubs, Syracuse, NY Doors at 5pm, Music at 6pm. Free pizza available at 5:30pm Celebrity Bartenders: Colin Aberdeen, County Executive Ryan McMahon, Skip Murphy and Syracuse Mets GM Jason Smorol All tips benefit the…
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce the lineup for its 30th Anniversary Celebration! Happening June16-18 at Chevy Court inside the New York State Fairgrounds, the 2022 festival schedule is as follows…
VIP tickets, RV sites and hotel discounts are now available! We are actively looking for applicants for the KJ James Memorial Scholarship and festival volunteers for 2022!
Save the Dates! The NYS Blues Festival will return for its 30th Anniversary June 16-17-18, 2022 at Chevy Court inside the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY!
The New York State Blues Festival would like to publicly acknowledge and thank the Gifford Foundation for its recent award of $1,000 to the New York State Blues Festival in support of its mission.
Somebody’s Blues aims to explore the blues music scene in Central New York and beyond. Hosted by Eric McElveen, Festival Director for the annual New York State Bluesfest, this series looks at why this great American art form has such a prominent place in the region.
Somebody’s Blues aims to explore the blues music scene in Central New York and beyond. Hosted by Eric McElveen, Festival Director for the annual New York State Bluesfest, this series looks at why this great American art form has such a prominent place in the region.
We know many of you have been wondering and we don’t want to keep you waiting any longer. Like many other festival organizers, the New York State Blues Festival has made the difficult decision to postpone its 2020 event until June 24-26, 2021. We were looking forward to bringing another…
The New York State Blues Festival is pleased to announce that our Blues in the Schools (BITS) program will kick off at area school districts in early 2020. Participating schools are Syracuse City Schools, East Syracuse-Minoa, and West Genesee. Education is a vital part of our mission and we are…
Two forces of nature from the blues world play the same stage. The New York State Blues Festival in Association with The Center for the Arts of Homer present the T’N’T Tour with Tinsley Ellis & Tommy Castro at 7:30pm on Tuesday November 19, 2019 at the Center for the…
The New York State Blues Festival concluded the first season of its Blues in the Schools Program (BITS) on a high note at the end of May. Local musician Kevin Dean, a Certified Teaching Artist, took students on a blues-learning journey with interactive percussion sessions, a multimedia production, plus a…
New York State Blues Festival is proud to announce the lineup for their 27th annual celebration June 27-29, 2019. Headliners include New York City based artist Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, San Jose’s Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, and the New Orleans group Dumpstaphunk.
Enjoy fully catered meals served in the VIP tent, where you can relax and enjoy your meal with a beverage or two before heading up front to enjoy the music from VIP seating!
NYS Blues Festival Pre-Fest Party with Victor Wainwright with Special Guest Hayden Fogle at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown’s Persian Terrace. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com. Doors open at 6:30pm.
The New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce its 2019 Spring Fundraiser! On Wednesday, April 24 from 5:00-8:00 p.m., the King of Clubs in Armory Square of Syracuse, NY will host a Celebrity Bartender event to benefit the 2019 New York State Blues Festival.
The New York State Blues Festival is pleased to announce our new Blues in the Schools (BITS) program, set to kick-off in area school districts around mid-March. The initial participating schools are: East Syracuse-Minoa, West Genesee, Syracuse City Schools, and Skaneateles Schools.
It’s an exciting time around here in New York State Blues Festival world as we ready our plans for this year’s event. Through the massive amount of communication that our organization sorts through, I’m reminded each winter that we are not just putting on an event that celebrates the amazing…
The New York State Blues Festival’s board of directors is excited to announce the dates for 2019! The 27th New York State Blues Festival will once again be a three day event and run Thursday, June 27 through Saturday, June 29 at Syracuse’s historic Clinton Square.
CNY Blues Presents The T’N’T Tour with Tommy Castro and The Painkillers & Tinsley Ellis at 7:00pm on Saturday November 10, 2018 at the Center for the Arts of Homer. Doors open at 6:00pm.
After opening night in Clinton Square, enjoy FREE LIVE BLUES at a number of local venues!
NYS Blues Festival Pre-Fest Party with Jack Broadbent at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown’s Finger Lakes Ballroom. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com. Doors open at 6:00pm.
Enjoy fully catered meals served in the VIP tent, where you can relax and enjoy your meal with a beverage or two before heading up front to enjoy the music from VIP seating!
New York State Blues Festival is proud to announce the line-up for their 26th annual celebration June 28-30, featuring over 20 local and national artists. Headliners for 2018 include Anders Osborne, Paulie Cerra, Larkin Poe, C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band and Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers.
New York State Blues Festival is excited to announce that this years event will be extending to 3 DAYS in Downtown Syracuse’s Clinton Square and has NEW DATES of THURSDAY JUNE 28 through SATURDAY JUNE 30.
NYS Blues Festival Fundraiser with Toronzo Cannon and Special Guest Chris Merkley on Saturday March 24, 2018 at Funk ‘n Waffles Syracuse. Tickets available online at TicketWeb. Doors open at 7:00pm.
We recently sat down with festival director Eric McElveen to chat about the past few years of the festival, his favorite “Bluesfest” act and what is happening at the festival this year.
The NYS Blues Festival Fall Fundraiser with Dana Fuchs on Friday December 1, 2017 at Funk ‘n Waffles Syracuse. Tickets available online at Ticketfly. Doors open at 7:00pm and Dana Fuchs will take the stage at 8:00pm.
JJ Grey & Mofro wasn’t a major act at Chevy Court or Lakeview, but the NYS Blues Fest headliner brought all the energy of an amphitheater show. Apart from his playful performance as a frontman, JJ Grey kept revealing new layers of talent during his set.
The New York State Blues Festival and Del Lago Resort & Casino are proud to present Buddy Guy with Special Guest Quinn Sullivan at 8:00pm on Friday August 11, 2017 at The Vine at Del Lago Resort. Tickets available online. Doors open at 7:00pm.
The New York State Blues Festival’s board of directors is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 KJ James Memorial Scholarship.
The NYS Blues Festival is proud to present the Festival Pre-Party with Walter Trout on Wednesday July 5, 2017 in the Finger Lakes Ballroom at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. Tickets available online at Eventbrite. Doors open at 7:00pm.
Submit your photos from past NYS Blues Festivals and you could win VIP passes to the 25th Anniversary NYS Blues Festival on July 7 & 8, 2017 in Syracuse, NY!
The New York State Blues Festival is pleased to announce the KJ James Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded again this year to young, local musicians. Kelly “KJ” James was best known for his musical career, having played with the band Triple Shot before touring nationally with Dr. Blue and…
New York State Blues Festival is Proud to Announce the Line-Up for Their 25th Anniversary Celebration July 7 & 8 2017
The NYS Blues Festival presents Carolyn Wonderland on Friday April 14, 2017 Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Syracuse. Tickets available online at Eventbrite. Doors open at 7:00pm and Carolyn Wonderland will take the stage at 9:00pm.
The New York State Blues Festival proudly announces a return to downtown Syracuse for its 25th Anniversary celebration on July 7th and 8th, 2017. Since its inaugural launch in 1992, this annual summertime festival has grown into the region’s premier musical destination. With the introduction of a bold new commemorative mark,…
Boise, Idaho is hardly the place anyone would conjure up as a hotbed of soul music. But for John Németh, it’s where his love for the genre began—and the starting point for a journey that’s taken him from his first gigs fronting a teenaged band to five Blues Music Award…
2016 Festival Poster Revealed This year’s cover illustration and t-shirt design originated as a poster created for the Syracuse Poster Project, a nonprofit civic art group committed to enlivening downtown Syracuse and strengthening the city’s sense of place. Founded in 2001, the Project brings together poets and Syracuse University artists…
Blues Music award winner Mike Zito is one of those rare artists who can sing like nobody’s business, pen songs that instantly grip you, play a mean Gulf Coast style guitar, plus he has the stage presence to draw in his audience to boot.
Trucks, a founding member and original drummer of the Allman Brothers Band, will be the closing act of the free, two-night festival in Syracuse, the festival’s leadership announced last night. The festival will be held on July 8 & 9 in Syracuse’s Clinton Square. Other headliners include Sister Sparrow &…
Enter to WIN tickets to Mike Zito and the Wheel on March 31st at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que! Blues Music award winner Mike Zito is one of those rare artists who can sing like nobody’s business, pen songs that instantly grip you, play a mean Gulf Coast style guitar, and has the…
The mission of The NY State Blues Festival is to preserve, protect and promote blues music and culture and showcase a collection of regional and national artists from multiple genres, all with roots steeped in tradition and vision. The festival was founded in 1991 and is supported by government grants,…
The festival’s Board of Directors invites you to become a sponsor for this summer’s 24th annual blues festival. The New York State Blues Festival is proud to be the largest, admission-free blues festival in the Northeast. The festival is held each year in Clinton Square in the very center of Downtown…
Devon Allman continues the legacy of the family name with his music by melting blues, rock, soul and various other genres. One can never leave a name as famous as “Allman” very far behind. There are traces of his father Greg in his soulful voice and his uncle Duane in…