Did You Know?

Facts about the Chicago Blues Festival!

1. The Chicago Blues Festival took place in 1984 on 1 stage and 165,000 people attended the 3 day festival. In 2007 the festival took place on six stages and 800,000 people attended in four days.

2. The Chicago Blues Festival celebrates the heritage of the blues by remembering the legends who created the music. The first was during the inaugural event in 1984-Muddy Waters, and continued in 1991 with Robert Johnson's 80th year and continues throughout the run of the festivals. The 2008 edition will celebrate the centennials of Louis Jordan, Robert Petway and Tommy McClennan.

3. The Route 66 Roadhouse is set up at the origin of the famous Route 66 made legendary in song and fashion.

4. The Chicago Blues Festival was the site where the Grammy Award was presented to Koko Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Hammond, Sugar Blue, and Luther Guitar Junior Johnson in 1985.

5. The Chicago Blues Festival was named as the Best Blues Festival in 1993 and 1994 by The Living Blues Magazine-the only year that category was listed for the Living Blues Awards.

6. Ever since the Columbian Exposition in 1893 the Chicago Blues Community has developed to where it is the "Blues Capital of the World," declared by the Chicago Sun-Times.

7. The festival has presented artists from Latvia, Switzerland, Japan, the UK, and Australia providing evidence that not only are the fans and crowds international but the music is played by all people around the world.

8. The festival has also presented many multi generational bands featuring the Dixons, the Harringtons, the Baker Brooks, the Lanes and Taylors (Chicago and Colorado), truly presenting the blues as a folk music.

9. The Blues season leading up to the festival begins on May 1-Little Walter's Birthday and continue weekly celebrating Robert Johnson's Birthday, May 8, Mother's Day, and many special activities at the Chicago Cultural Center, blues Clubs and tearers around town.

10. Blues in the Schools is a tradition that opens the festival annually and was first implemented at the festival by Ms. Kay Jones retired Chicago Public School teacher.