Nine bands highlight the 20th year for the Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Festival

 

story and photos by Joel Rafkin
[email protected]

The 20th Annual Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Festival packed Harry E. Kelley Park this past Friday and Saturday.

The event, themed "Making Waves" this year, featured nine acts — local and of national or international fame. The lineup on Friday began at 6 p.m. with a performance of Fort Smith band Copesetic followed by Wisebird, Band of Heathens and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. Copesetic opened the show again on Saturday with performances following by JP Soars & The Red Hots, Mark May, Honey Island Swamp Band, JJ Grey & Mofro and headliner Delbert McClinton.

A loyal local and regional following was enhanced by people who traveled from afar to attend the event. Terry and Dorothy Wilson from Burlington, Kan., celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary with a motorcycle cruise to Fort Smith and the blues festival.

“It’s a beautiful area," said Dorothy who had never been to Fort Smith. "The music is good and I don’t even listen to blues."

Overall the weather cooperated for the event. Friday was extra HOT as the unseasonable warm temperatures soared into the upper 90s with high humidity. Saturday saw a slight break due to a storm that passed through in the early evening. The much needed rain cooled temps briefly but then things got steamy for a few hours following the storm. By 10 p.m., as the performances got hotter, the breeze kicked in and temps dropped making the headline act, Grammy award winning artist Delbert McClinton, a very pleasant experience both physically and aurally.

The Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Society along with corporate and individual sponsors has been responsible for making the Riverfront Blues Festival happen since 1993. In addition to the festival, the society also administers the Barry Ratliff Memorial Scholarship and Blues in the Schools program.