(with Related Events Thurs-Sun)
Book your rooms ASAP for our 22nd annual nonprofit Juke Joint Festival & Related Events — Thursday-Sunday, April 10-13, 2025, y'all. (Seriously. Book lodging now, before it's all gone.) This is the amazing "half blues festival, half small-town fair and all about the Delta" event that you've seen featured in global media such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Guardian, 60 Minutes, PBS NewsHour, and countless travel and music publications. It is like no other event in the world with over 100 blues performances plus real-deal juke joints, monkeys riding dogs, racing pigs, arts & crafts, music workshops, children's events, Southern food, panel discussions and much more. It's now wonder that it has become Clarksdale and Coahoma County's biggest blues and business week of the year. Once again, we anticipate excited attendees from all 50 U.S. states, a majority of Mississippi counties and some two-dozen countries.
The “Juke Joint Festival ®” name and logo are registered trademarks and cannot be used by outside parties without the express written consent of the Clarksdale Downtown Development Association/Juke Joint Festival. All rights reserved. Third parties may not create unauthorized “Juke Joint Festival ®” products (e.g. T-shirts and apparel) or advertising (e.g. event banners and print ads). And obviously, all artwork created for official JJF advertising and merchandise is also owned by CDDA/JJF. Please be cool, y'all. We've worked really hard to build this brand. Obviously, our 501c3 nonprofit needs to protect it. Thanks for your support.
Book rooms now for 2025! Thursday, April 10th, will feature a big, FREE JJF Kickoff with JJF and Tourism awards plus special "live" blues performances—5pm-8pm. Friday the 13th will feature a number of FREE daytime events (including "live" blues across from JJF HQ) culminating with a special FREE 5-7pm event—TBA. (For example... In 2023, we featured a FREE live Thacker Mountain Radio. In 2024, we enjoyed a FREE Charlie Musselwhite/Kirk Fletcher show.) Plus, Sunday will feature a FREE mini blues fest with Rev Peyton, Big A and more. (Plus, keep in mind that every venue and musician in town will be running dozens of their own "Related Events" all week long. We will also do our best to list those events on our website and in the official printed program.) Of course, the "main event" is Saturday: The actual "JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL" itself.
During the DAYTIME on Saturday, April 12, 2025, you can expect at least 15 FREE daytime stages of blues and roots music spread over 8 blocks in historic downtown Clarksdale. Events that day kick off early, and most of our daytime music stages and street vendors operate between 10am and 6pm. (Saturday night-time requires a JJF wristband. Limited quantities.)
For NIGHTTIME on Saturday, April 12, 2025, a required JJF wristband gets you into a participating collection of over 20 local juke joints, blues clubs and restaurants for live music by over 30 acts without additional cover charges. (No single cover charges at venues for this one night a year.) Wristband required. No exceptions. Limited quantities; first come, first served. We have sold out in the past. The earlier you buy, the cheaper it is. Details on this website's Wristband page. Our official nighttime JJF venues feature slightly staggered start times but basically start at 6pm and end as late as 1am. To recap: Saturday daytime is FREE; Saturday nighttime requires a wristband.
Consider bringing lawn chairs, sunblock, mosquito spray and maybe an umbrella. Please DO NOT bring coolers or outside food/beverages. (We have plenty of street vendors and restaurants.) Please DO NOT bring dogs or horses or monkeys or other pets or animals — except for professional service animals/guide dogs. Sorry, but we have had health and safety issues with animals in the past. Also, please pick up after yourself. Look for our recycling bins and trash receptacles. If you litter, you will be asked to leave. Thanks, y'all.
Can't make it this year or next year? Plan for the future years listed above. Regardless of the year, BOOK YOUR ROOMS ASAP! While Clarksdale, Mississippi, has more hotel rooms, overnight apartments and AirBnB/VRBO offerings than ever before, our town's rooms all book up well in advance of JJF for Thursday through Sunday night. Don't get left out. A full lodging list at VisitClarksdale.com. Also, if you camp, please check the JJF INFO tab above for options.
JJF remembered its supporters who died in 2023 (in order of passings): Chris Johnson (The Den), Keith "The Blues Wizard" Kifer (Lunatic Fringe Luthiery), Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry (bluesman), Ken Murphey (City commissioner), RL Boyce (bluesman), "Big" Red Paden (Red's Lounge), Dick Waterman (blues photographer). All of these friends helped us make JJF the international phenomenon that it is today. Thanks to all y'all. RIP. Our 2024 festival is dedicated to Red Paden whose juke joint helped give our festival its name. Our Miss Sarah Award went to Art and Carol Crivaro. Our Red Paden Award went to the late Ken Murphey.
Historic Clarksdale, Mississippi, is 80 minutes south of the Memphis International Airport and was once home to such blues greats as Son House, John Lee Hooker, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, Eddie Boyd, Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters, Pinetop Perkins, Earl Hooker, Big Jack Johnson and many many others. It's the land of the proverbial Crossroads! Come for a visit, but beware. Many former "tourists" now live here.
The Clarksdale Downtown Development Association is the 501c3 nonprofit that puts on the Juke Joint Festival (April) as well as the Clarksdale Film Festival (last weekend in January). CDDA wishes to thank all of the amazing sponsors, volunteers, musicians, artists and attendees that make our events possible. If you'd like to become a sponsor or make a donation to either festival, please email Nan at office@jukejointfestival.com.
GENERAL INFORMATION
PO BOX 1030
Clarksdale, MS 38614
Phone: 662-624-5992
EMAIL: info@jukejointfestival.com
EMAIL: office@jukejointfestival.com
MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT & BOOKING
Blues musicians interested in applying for performance consideration at our next JJF can submit via a button on our homepage that appears only from October 15th through December 15th. That is the only way to submit. Even if your act isn't chosen, please consider attending, anyway. There will be plenty of pop-up gigs and jams around town that Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Thanks, y'all.
Juke Joint Festival® name and logo are registered trademarks of Clarksdale Downtown Development Association. All rights reserved.