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WHAT: 17th Annual Cincy Blues Fest

WHEN: Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8, 2009

WHERE: Sawyer Point Park, Cincinnati

Back for its 17th year, the Cincy Blues Fest brings more than 50 local, national, and international blues acts to the banks of the Ohio River, at Sawyer Point Park, August 7 and 8.

FRIDAY, AUG 7

The Friday, August 7 show, which runs from 5 p.m. until midnight, features three stages. Admission for Friday is $10 at the gate (Blues Society members free with membership card)!

The Friday Main Stage headliner is AMA winner and Blues triple-threat: singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Carolyn Wonderland. Also on that stage is Memphis favorite Reba Russell Band and BMA award winning vocalist Janiva Magness – a whole evening of the best women in blues today!

Keeping with our winning tradition, the Local Stage proudly presents the best of the Cincy Blues Challenge finalists.

And this year, the Arches Stage features “A Tribute to the Ludlow Garage” – a trip down memory lane infused with Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll and showcasing the best from Cincinnati’s seminal rock club.

SATURDAY, AUG 8

Saturday, August 8, brings a full day of music with a wide variety of Blues for everyone! Gates open at 2:30 pm with music until midnight – nearly nine hours of Blues on three stages for only $15 (Blues Society members free with membership Card)!

The Main Stage welcomes headliner Mississippi-born Magic Slim & The Teardrops along with Blues rockers WSNB, Boston-based The Radio Kings and “Bluesion” leaders Deanna Bogart Band.

The Local Stage spotlights more terrific Cincinnati area talent capped off with an always-exciting grand finale.

The immensely popular Arches Boogie Woogie Piano stage, one of just a few of its kind in the country, showcases the finest in national and international piano performers.

There will be plenty of food and refreshments, Blues-related merchandise, and the best Blues music around! All proceeds go to the Cincy Blues Society to help fund their Blues in the Schools (BITS) program, educating local area students from elementary through high school on the history and styles of Blues music.

Joy Dziech, Director of the Cincy Blues Fest has been involved in Cincy Blues Fest for the past 4 years, and even met her future husband at Fest 2005- a Blues love connection! She also serves on the board of the Cincy Blues Society and works as the Membership Coordinator. Joy is a very proud to be a part of Keeping the Blues Alive (the Blues Society’s battle cry) through her service as the festival director and board of trustees. As Cincy Blues Fest is an all-volunteer organization, she feels it is an honor to get to give back to the community and show her support for the Blues and its amazing talent, especially here in the Greater Cincinnati area. In her regularly scheduled life, Joy works as a Quality Assurance specialist for a flavor company in Cincinnati. She is married to a man (the site coordinator at Blues Fest) who is a very brave soul for putting up with FestFever, and she has a 14 year old daughter who learned about the Blues and the importance of community service early on by folding Fest T shirts and passing out promo flyers.