The 28th annual Blues Fest is finally here
Asleep at the Wheel performing in East Park in Norwich Thursday, July 15, as part of the ongoing NBT Bank Summer Concert Series. Thursday, August 17 will be the final installment of the series, which will kick off Blues Fest weekend. Performers include opening act Nate Gross, and headliner Shemekia Copeland. (Photo by Dustin Genter of 5th Dimension Photography)
NORWICH — After months of uncertainty and changing COVID-19 restrictions, the highly anticipated Blues Fest is back for it's 28th year.
The festival is slated for August 20 and 21, and will take place at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. The weekend will kick off on Thursday, August 19, with the next installment of the NBT Bank Summer Concert Series, featuring opener Nate Gross, and headliner Shemekia Copeland.
On Friday, August 20, the Blues Fest will begin in earnest at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, with what Chenango Blues Association Event Organizer Eric Larsen says is "probably our biggest and strongest lineup yet."
August 20 performances include Soul Box, Vanessa Collier, and Castro Coleman a.k.a Mr. Sipp.
On Saturday, August 21, Blues Fest attendees can enjoy a whopping nine performances. Musical acts include Los Blancos, Horojo Trio, Crystal Thomas and the Eastside Kings with the Texas Horns, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Robert Randolph Band, Kevin Burt, Doug MacLeod, Zac Harmon, and Albert Castiglia.
This year's Blues Fest should largely resemble what fans love and remember, according to Larsen, with the only adjustments being additional safety measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
"The food vendors should be very much the same, the artists very much the same, our camping area very much the same," said Larsen, "A very familiar look and feel as every other year, just some added safety protocols."
Larsen has been working closely with the Chenango County Department of Health to ensure the Chenango Blues Association has the most up-to-date information on COVID guidelines.
"We consult with the Chenango County Department of Health, I just spoke with them at length yesterday. And after speaking with them that's when we updated our guidelines and we are deploying things that are actually above and beyond what the guidelines call for right now," he said.
The protocols include limited ticket sales, changes to the layout to allow more room, additional cleaning efforts, and signage recommending masks and social distancing.
"Our setup is gonna be very good," said Larsen. "There's gonna be lot's of room for people to spread out, and I think we're gonna be able to accommodate people safely in almost any scenario."
Ticket sales have been reduced as well, to provide even more space at the event. The Chenango Blues Fest website states that 30 percent less tickets will be sold this year. The $40 tickets are only available for purchase online, according to Larsen.
"We will not have gate sales and we will not have any in-person purchasing of tickets. So unfortunately you won't be able to go to Blue Ox or Commerce Chenango or The Y and buy tickets," he explained. "You can't walk up and buy your ticket that day, you have to use the Simpletix platform."
Despite the restrictions, Larsen said he is still committed to providing a fun and safe experience for attendees.
"We're very cognizant of the fact that this event is supposed to be fun, so we're always looking to enforce rules in a friendly way," he said.
Larsen also said that mask wearing and social distancing are recommended for unvaccinated individuals, but will not be enforced, leaving many to the "honor system." Luckily, he said that shouldn't be a problem.
"Observing what’s happened to the Summer Concert Series, people are using their common sense and taking advantage of the opportunity to give each other a little space. So that’s exactly the kind of common sense thing we’re all looking for," he said.
The Chenango Blues Fest is sponsored by grants, Preferred Mutual, the Greater Norwich Foundation, the R.C. Smith Foundation, as well as approximately 75 local businesses and individual contributors, according to Larsen. He said the sponsorships are "very much a community-wide network."
Chenango Blues Association officials would like to thank their vendors and donors for contributing to the festival this year.
"Organizers of the event would like to thank NBT Bank, Norwich Rehab, Preferred Mutual Insurance
Company, Laral Management, Oliver’s Campers, Bill Rapp Subaru, Southern Tier Pet Nutrition, Cristi Larsen, Nelson & Flanagan Law Office/Grouse Ridge Kennels, New York Central Mutual,
Pennysaver/Evening Sun, Rentals to Go, Walking Ridge Development, Syracuse Blues Peeps, Raymond Foundation, Rita’s Tavern, Wells Fargo Advisors and the many other community donors and volunteers who make the event possible. They also wish to thank the Greater Norwich and R. C. Smith Foundations for their generous support. This event is also made possible, in part, with public funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House," said officials.
After a tumultuous year, and the cancellation of the festival last summer, the Chenango Blues Fest is finally back.
"[I'm] just hoping that we'll encourage people to come and enjoy themselves, and to use their common sense and keep each other safe, and we'll have a good, fun event," said Larsen.
The festival is slated for August 20 and 21, and will take place at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. The weekend will kick off on Thursday, August 19, with the next installment of the NBT Bank Summer Concert Series, featuring opener Nate Gross, and headliner Shemekia Copeland.
On Friday, August 20, the Blues Fest will begin in earnest at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, with what Chenango Blues Association Event Organizer Eric Larsen says is "probably our biggest and strongest lineup yet."
August 20 performances include Soul Box, Vanessa Collier, and Castro Coleman a.k.a Mr. Sipp.
On Saturday, August 21, Blues Fest attendees can enjoy a whopping nine performances. Musical acts include Los Blancos, Horojo Trio, Crystal Thomas and the Eastside Kings with the Texas Horns, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Robert Randolph Band, Kevin Burt, Doug MacLeod, Zac Harmon, and Albert Castiglia.
This year's Blues Fest should largely resemble what fans love and remember, according to Larsen, with the only adjustments being additional safety measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
"The food vendors should be very much the same, the artists very much the same, our camping area very much the same," said Larsen, "A very familiar look and feel as every other year, just some added safety protocols."
Larsen has been working closely with the Chenango County Department of Health to ensure the Chenango Blues Association has the most up-to-date information on COVID guidelines.
"We consult with the Chenango County Department of Health, I just spoke with them at length yesterday. And after speaking with them that's when we updated our guidelines and we are deploying things that are actually above and beyond what the guidelines call for right now," he said.
The protocols include limited ticket sales, changes to the layout to allow more room, additional cleaning efforts, and signage recommending masks and social distancing.
"Our setup is gonna be very good," said Larsen. "There's gonna be lot's of room for people to spread out, and I think we're gonna be able to accommodate people safely in almost any scenario."
Ticket sales have been reduced as well, to provide even more space at the event. The Chenango Blues Fest website states that 30 percent less tickets will be sold this year. The $40 tickets are only available for purchase online, according to Larsen.
"We will not have gate sales and we will not have any in-person purchasing of tickets. So unfortunately you won't be able to go to Blue Ox or Commerce Chenango or The Y and buy tickets," he explained. "You can't walk up and buy your ticket that day, you have to use the Simpletix platform."
Despite the restrictions, Larsen said he is still committed to providing a fun and safe experience for attendees.
"We're very cognizant of the fact that this event is supposed to be fun, so we're always looking to enforce rules in a friendly way," he said.
Larsen also said that mask wearing and social distancing are recommended for unvaccinated individuals, but will not be enforced, leaving many to the "honor system." Luckily, he said that shouldn't be a problem.
"Observing what’s happened to the Summer Concert Series, people are using their common sense and taking advantage of the opportunity to give each other a little space. So that’s exactly the kind of common sense thing we’re all looking for," he said.
The Chenango Blues Fest is sponsored by grants, Preferred Mutual, the Greater Norwich Foundation, the R.C. Smith Foundation, as well as approximately 75 local businesses and individual contributors, according to Larsen. He said the sponsorships are "very much a community-wide network."
Chenango Blues Association officials would like to thank their vendors and donors for contributing to the festival this year.
"Organizers of the event would like to thank NBT Bank, Norwich Rehab, Preferred Mutual Insurance
Company, Laral Management, Oliver’s Campers, Bill Rapp Subaru, Southern Tier Pet Nutrition, Cristi Larsen, Nelson & Flanagan Law Office/Grouse Ridge Kennels, New York Central Mutual,
Pennysaver/Evening Sun, Rentals to Go, Walking Ridge Development, Syracuse Blues Peeps, Raymond Foundation, Rita’s Tavern, Wells Fargo Advisors and the many other community donors and volunteers who make the event possible. They also wish to thank the Greater Norwich and R. C. Smith Foundations for their generous support. This event is also made possible, in part, with public funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House," said officials.
After a tumultuous year, and the cancellation of the festival last summer, the Chenango Blues Fest is finally back.
"[I'm] just hoping that we'll encourage people to come and enjoy themselves, and to use their common sense and keep each other safe, and we'll have a good, fun event," said Larsen.
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks