What better way to shake off the snows of winter than with a blues extravaganza in sunny Florida? Held each spring since 1995 in Vinoy Waterfront Park in St. Petersburg, Florida, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival remains one of the first major blues festivals on the yearly circuit. “Warm weather and hotter music” has been the mantra of founder and producer Chuck Ross, who has grown his dream blues event into one of the major festivals of the year. Each year, Ross not only assembles a lineup to appeal to hard-core blues aficionados, he also books roots-based bands to bring out fans of this music genre. Thus, fans who come to see Little Feat or Los Lobos also hear Curtis Salgado and Tommy Castro. In April 2011, the fest features a “Best of the Fest” where fans and industry friends selected the lineup featuring their favorite performers of the past decade. Three great days of blues by the bay!
