Bull Durham Blues Festival Returns for 29th Year

Legendary local festival keeping the blues alive in Durham

 

DURHAM, NC – The Bull Durham Blues Festival returns for its 29th year, September 9-10, 2016, at the Hayti Heritage Center (804 Faye

tteville Street, Durham).  Show times are 7:00 pm on Friday and 6:00 pm on Saturday. Food trucks and other vendors will be on hand both days at 5:00 pm. Festival goers will enjoy an intimate music experience in Hayti’s historic Performance Hall.

The Bull Durham Blues Festival is one of only two blues festivals presented in the country by an African American organization. Artists on Friday are Barbara Carr, Roy Roberts, Beverly Guitar Watkins and Bobby Hinton. Saturday performers are The Luxuriant Sedans, Mac Arnold and Plate Full O Blues, Joe B. Cutchins, Jr. and Grady Champion and his band along with Da 6’8” WONDER DJ 2 TALL. A local artist will be selected to open shows each day. Poet and author Dasan Ahanu will serve as host.

Dasan Ahanu
Dasan Ahanu

“We are really excited as we continue to rebuild this long standing event. In addition to very talented artists we want to feature the best of the Durham area, from vendors to food trucks to fellowship and fun.  The Hayti community has a very vibrant story to tell, and we invite folks to join us and help tell that story. So, this will be an interactive event that will show why we love the blues and why we love this place,” said Executive Director, Angela Lee.

Grammy winning Mississippi artist Grady Champion returns this year and will perform his new single, Move Something. “I know from performing around the country and throughout Europe that the music is as strong as ever. I look forward to joining other artists in Durham to show audiences just how strong,” said Champion.

grady champion
Grady Champion

The event will be video recorded as part of a project honoring Hayti and the Bull Durham Blues Festival, and as part of next year’s 30th year celebration of the event.

The Hayti Heritage Center is a cultural arts and arts education venue with a mission to preserve historic Hayti and promote the African American experience through visual and performing arts and education programs that benefit the broader community.  Among those core programs are the Heritage Concert Series, the Heritage Film Festival, and an Afrofuturist Program Series. Hayti collaborates with local, state and national partners.

 

For tickets, visit www.hayti.org