Our greatest attraction will be with us for 2 days in 2025, Friday & Saturday
Led by professional rodeo cowboy Tim “WILD THANG” Lepard,Team Ghost Riders is a group of sheep dogs and monkeys, who team together to provide one of the most entertaining traveling acts you will ever see.
"The animals are like family and require 24/7 care to ensure their well-being. When I see the crowd smiling and hear the laughter, it makes all the hard work worthwhile.(Tim)"
×10:45 am
12:45 pm
3:45 pm
5:15 pm
JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL MERCHANDISE SALES
T-shirts, hats and other cool festival merchandise. 10 am until 5:30 pm
×Where: Juke Joint Festival Headquarters - 243 Delta Avenue
The official Juke Joint Festival Headquarters is conveniently located at 243 Delta Avenue in downtown Clarksdale (basically across the street from Nellie Mays).
Juke Joint Festival Pre-Sale PayPal Wristbands Pick-Up
UNDER THE RED TENT - Delta Avenue Park / 243 Delta Ave. Thursday 11 am - 6 pm | Friday 10 am - 5:30 pm | Saturday 10 am - 8 pm JJFestival Sat-night Wristband valid Sat., April 11th ONLY.
×Free live blues!
×Who: Randy '19th Street Red' Cohen
Hi. I'm Randy "19th Street Red" Cohen. I play The Blues. The Mississippi Delta Blues is
My specialty. T-Bone Walker was my First inspiration.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Randy-19th-Street-Red-Cohen/100064230600381/
×JJF SAT-NIGHT WRISTBAND PRE-SALES
Buy Friday, April 10th: $60 each, while quantities last. The JJF wristband is valid for 20+ official JJF venues on Saturday night ONLY. More details on Wristband page. Note: WEBSITE PRE-SALE Wristband pick-up location is 243 Delta Ave/Delta Avenue Park, UNDER THE RED TENT. Bring your PayPal/CC email receipt and photo ID: Thursday 4/10 (11am-6pm), Friday 4/11/ (10am-5:30pm) and Saturday 4/12 (10am-8pm). After 8pm Saturday, wristbands move to Ground Zero Blues Club (0 Blues Alley) for pick up. If not sold-out, remaining Saturday NIGHTTIME wristband sales available Saturday night at Ground Zero Blues Club and Hopson Commissary only.
×FREE! First of four shows... a must see! Pontotoc, Mississippi's own Tim Lepard and his team entertain all with... YES... Monkeys Riding Dogs Herding Sheep aka The Ghost Riders. Plan a field trip, bring a group and enjoy the show. Sponsored by Southern Bancorp. Co-sponsored by Westgate Drugs and Jane & Jim Wilbourn.
×Where: John Lee Hooker Lane
Free live blues!
×Who: Sean 'Bad' Apple
Baptized in the fire water of Clarksdale, MS., Sean “Bad” Apple
began his spiritual journey of learning the blues by seeking out
the old blues musicians that were willing to share their years of
knowledge. Sean is working hard to keep Hill Country Blues alive
and well. People are always in for a good show and never leave
disappointed when the Bad Apple is on the stage
FREE! Second of four shows... a must see! Pontotoc, Mississippi's own Tim Lepard and his team entertain all with... YES... Monkeys Riding Dogs Herding Sheep aka The Ghost Riders. Plan a field trip, bring a group and enjoy the show. Sponsored by Southern Bancorp. Co-sponsored by Westgate Drugs and Jane & Jim Wilbourn.
×Where: John Lee Hooker Lane
Moderator Clay Motley gets blues musicians Kenny Brown, Terry "Harmonica" Bean and Lucious Spiller talking about their own personal histories, the state of blues music and more.
×Where: Meraki Roasting Company
Meraki Roasting Company - Freshly Roasted Artisan Coffee roasted in house supporting our youth entrepreneurship program. Come visit our roastery to try our current coffee profiles. Pastries made by local vendors. www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
282 Sunflower Ave
Meraki Hours:
Monday-Sunday (every day!) 7am to 2 pm
http://www.griotarts.com/meraki
×Free live blues!
×Who: Ghalia Volt
Ghalia Volt is a force of nature who comes to Juke Joint Festival from New Orleans but originally hails from Belgium, where the blues bug bit early. After multiple visits to Mississippi and the American South in search of real-deal blues and roots musics, she moved here to join the scene. This year, she'll be featured as her amazing one-woman-blues-band. Be sure to ask about her latest CD and LP releases after her shows!
Moderator Clay Motley gets blues musicians John Primer, Anthony "Big A" Sherrod and Harrell "Young Rell" Davenport, talking about their own personal histories, the state of blues music and more.
×Where: Meraki Roasting Company
Meraki Roasting Company - Freshly Roasted Artisan Coffee roasted in house supporting our youth entrepreneurship program. Come visit our roastery to try our current coffee profiles. Pastries made by local vendors. www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
282 Sunflower Ave
Meraki Hours:
Monday-Sunday (every day!) 7am to 2 pm
http://www.griotarts.com/meraki
×FREE! Third of four shows... a must see! Pontotoc, Mississippi's own Tim Lepard and his team entertain all with... YES... Monkeys Riding Dogs Herding Sheep aka The Ghost Riders. Plan a field trip, bring a group and enjoy the show. Sponsored by Southern Bancorp. Co-sponsored by Westgate Drugs and Jane & Jim Wilbourn.
×Where: John Lee Hooker Lane
Free live blues!
×Who: Kenny Brown
KENNY BROWN IS AN AMERICAN BLUES SLIDE GUITARIST SKILLED IN THE NORTH
MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY BLUES STYLE.
He began hearing Otha Turner, Napolean Strickland and others who played at picnics
across the road from his home at 7 years old. Brown apprenticed with Mississippi Joe
Callicott, who moved in next door to his home in Nesbit, Mississippi, from age 12 to 15,
when Callicott died.
Around 1971 Brown began playing with two other musicians. Johnny Woods would make
an occasional playing partner until his death in 1990. More steady was Brown's learning
with R. L. Burnside, who claimed Brown as his “adopted son,” In the early seventies they
started to perform in their region, and would keep up as a duo for thirty years sometimes
joined with Calvin Jackson on drums. Cedric Burnside joined their tours from about 1994,
as Burnside's reputation surged in the 1990s and early 2000s. Brown first appeared
abroad in Sweden in 1989.
https://www.kennybrownmusic.com/
×Join us as we celebrate all that is good in the Mississippi Delta! We will begin/end at Visit Clarksdale (326 Blues Alley), journey through downtown Clarksdale. We hope you will plan to be apart of this new adventure of promoting what is GOOD in Clarksdale. Get a float going, play a musical instrument, dress a part and celebrate spring and our festival! Our 2026 Juke Joint Bride and Groom TBA will lead our parade followed by the Juke Joint King and Queen (TBA), Juke Joint Baby girl is Taylor Weathers Ellis and Juke Joint Baby boy (TBA) Look forward to celebrating ya'll! Sponsored by Mid-South Waste.
×FREE! FINAL SHOW... a must see! Pontotoc, Mississippi's own Tim Lepard and his team entertain all with... YES... Monkeys Riding Dogs Herding Sheep aka The Ghost Riders. Plan a field trip, bring a group and enjoy the show. Sponsored by Southern Bancorp. Co-sponsored by Westgate Drugs and Jane & Jim Wilbourn.
×Where: John Lee Hooker Lane
Free THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO show!
Thacker Mountain Radio music/variety show returns to JJF with another stellar lineup featuring author Ralph Eubanks ('When It's Darkness on the Delta') plus soulful live blues by 92-year-old Grammy-winner Bobby Rush and up-and-comer Twurt Chamberlain. Hosted by Jim Dees and the Yalobushwahckers house band! Broadcasts later on statewide radio in MS and AL plus parts of TN (and even Taos, NM)!
×Where: Red Panther Brewing Co. Stage (in street)
NEW FOR JJF 2025! Three days of special events on the new street stage outside the new Red Panther Brewing Co.
(Cover may apply.)
9:45 am
Angel "Cash" Ocasio, Jr., a prominent figure in Macon's music scene, leads Cash's Juke Joint, a powerhouse band delivering soul-stirring music. Rooted in Blues, Sacred Steel, Soul, Funk, and Rock, their groovy fusion captivates audiences. Hailing from Macon, GA, the band, comprised of seasoned musicians, boasts a rich history playing diverse venues. Cash's Juke Joint has shared stages with icons like Patti LaBelle, Jill Scott and The Legendary Wailers, showcasing their raw and uncut sound. Known for getting straight to the nitty-gritty, experiencing the dynamic vibes of Cash's Juke Joint live is a must for music enthusiasts.
Where: Meraki Roasting Company
Meraki Roasting Company - Freshly Roasted Artisan Coffee roasted in house supporting our youth entrepreneurship program. Come visit our roastery to try our current coffee profiles. Pastries made by local vendors. www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
282 Sunflower Ave
Meraki Hours:
Monday-Sunday (every day!) 7am to 2 pm
http://www.griotarts.com/meraki
×11:00 am
Laura "Lala" Craig is a female blues artist whose rollicking path to the Delta landed her at the
Crossroads of her
passions for love and music, fulfilling her dream to become an entertainer and share her harmony
with partner,
Dino Musso.
Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×11:30 am
RL SUPERBAD (AKA: Robin Lane ) is a Primitive, Experimental Mississippi Blues Man,
based from the North Missisippi Hill Country Blues genre with a mixture of Delta, Chicago,
Rock, String Band....which equals Alien KonTraFusion. He is a multi-instrumentalist,
vocalist, song writer/story teller, One Man Band and instrument builder (Low N Slow
Creations). Born early 60s August 2 in Topeka, KS. With no musical background from
family or friends, RL didn't begin playing until 2009, a year after coming to Clarksdale, MS
for a weekend in early 2008. There he heard and met Robert "Wolfman" Belfour who
introduced him to North Mississippi Hill Country Blues, which changed his life forever. That
same night he met Terry Harmonica Bean and Sean "Bad" Apple, both of whom frequently
played in Clarksdale juke joints. RL worked with his good friend Tater on the latter's CD
titled "SUPERBAD", which was released 11/20/10. Unfortunately, Tater had passed at 63
years old on 9/10/10. To get him a Sidewalk Plaque, RL raised funds by hosting Tater's
Memorial Birthday Bash at Club 2000, as well as Jams at Cat Head, Juke Joint Festival
and other downtown venues. In 2011 RL played his first JJF and since has played at
Sunflower Blues Festival, King Biscuit Blues Fest, Deep Blues Fest, Memphis in May,
KnobFest, Huntsville Cigar Box Guitar Fest, Clarksdale Cigar Box Guitar Fest, Nashville
Cigar Box Guitar Festival , Ozark Cigar Box Guitar Festival, Buddy Guy's in Chicago, and
all over the streets of Clarksdale. Having shared the stage with Robert Belfour, T Model
Ford, Sean Apple and Big Boy Martin Grant, Mr. Tater, Liz Mandeville, Bill Abel, Maurice
Vaughan, John Long, Reverend Robert, SpoonMan, Ray Cashman, Watermelon Slim,
Deak Harp, Rhode Island Red, Reverend KM Williams and various others, RL is currently
playing with Mason Stevens (AKA Mason JARrr Stevens) as a duo.
https://artistecard.com/RLSUPERBADANDKonTraFusion
×Where: Collective Seed & Supply Co.
Collective Seed & Supply Co.--Clarksdale's only independent garden center & general store.
https://www.facebook.com/collectiveseedandsupplyco/
×12:00 pm
Noon to 6PM Dr. B's open mic.
Where: The Blue Room
Downtown Clarksdale's new music listening room, run by Dr B!
12:00 pm
For nearly two decades, Batterton and Edwards have crafted a unique sound that marries the raw authenticity of Ozark mountain music with the soulful depth of Delta blues. Their music emerges from the natural confluence of Arkansas traditions — where banjo meets slide guitar, where mountain hollers blend with field songs, where front porch picking sessions flow into juke joint rhythms. Multi-instrumentalists and seasoned vocalists, they transform traditional country blues through their deep understanding of both high country and lowland sounds. Every performance carries the dust of Delta crossroads and the mist of mountain mornings
http://www.battertonandedwards.com
×Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×1:00 pm
Theo "Boogieman" Dasbach & Holly Harris
Piano boogieman —
originally from The
Netherlands. Former
owner of the Rock &
Blues Museum in
Clarksdale. Also
ask
about his
musical
"splash
art."
Where: Ooze Bar
The new Ooze Bar (in former Rock & Blues Museum location next to Hambone) is the new blues bar/toy museum inspiration of The Mojo Hands leader Chris Mullens!
https://www.instagram.com/themojohands/?hl=en
×1:00 pm
Ramblin’ Dan Stevens is an acoustic blues stylist, bottleneck slide player and protege of New York City's folk legend Dave Van Ronk. His music has been described as "Houserockin' fingerstyle blues emanating from the depths of the delta and careening through the New York centered folk/blues revival to the present. Spirit, presence and originality married to a reverence for authenticity of style." Long a relentlessly touring solo artist covering the Eastern US, Virgin Islands, UK and Germany, Dan performs a diverse selection of upbeat acoustic and electric blues, originals and roots music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLzuE4-i1mY
×Where: Hambone Art & Music
PLEASE NOTE: Saturday night (April 12, 2025), IF Juke Joint Festival Sat-night Wristbands are NOT sold-out, then limited quantities will be available for purchase only at the 243 Delta Ave JJF HQ building (only till 8:30pm) AND Ground Zero Blues Club, Hambone Gallery and Hopson Commissary (if/while supplies last). Entry to any/all 20+ JJF Sat-night venues requires a festival wristband. No exceptions. Details on Wristband webpage or in program booklet.
HAMBONE: "Hambone Art Gallery" and bar, Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,between Madidi's and Theo's Rock and Roll Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by Charlie Conerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was the old Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Both
blues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer for many roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical, but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Object
pieces.
1:00 pm
Will Coppage is a Mississippi-born songwriter and performer whose indie-blues sound fuses Delta roots with a modern edge. A touring artist across the U.S. and Europe, Coppage previously performed alongside blues legacy Stud Ford. His music moves from country blues and flatpicking fire to beats that blur the line between juke joint and indie stage, driven by cinematic, poetic songwriting. It’s Loud Roots, Indie Grit, and Delta Swagger—a raw and real sound born of Mississippi dust and modern drive.
https://www.williamluskcoppage.com
×Where: Tiny Barbershop Show - Marty's Barbershop
A classic Barbershop in downtown Clarksdale, Ms. Founded by Marty Eubank, the town Barber of over 50 years. The tradition is now carried on by Bear Ryan.
Bear is a classically trained Barber specializing in men’s grooming - scissor cuts, clipper cuts, and beard maintenance.
Bear is a musician. Hours vary as a result. The shop is generally always open Tues, Weds, Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays can vary. Hours are posted to the website - weekly - on Sundays .
https://www.bearthebarber.com/
×1:00 pm
Reverend Robert is known for his genuine conviction and honest delivery. His passion for
the blues led him to the prewar blues style of Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, and other
delta blues giants.
Having immersed himself in their recordings, Reverend Robert emerged with an authentic
feeling for the blues that is matched by his easy-going and artistic personality. Reverend
Robert’s tasteful slide guitar playing garnered the attention of the National Slide Guitar
Festival in North Carolina where he took first place in their competition in 2004.
He has entertained audiences throughout the United States, Canada, the U.K., Europe,
and India. In the past two decades he has developed his one-man blues show to
incorporate the influences of jazz, ragtime, and swing, as well as Caribbean, Hawaiian,
African and Indian music.
The perfect combination of tradition and creative innovation, the Reverend’s music is at
home on festival stages or in the street, in clubs or in the backyard. Its dance music played
with a stomping beat
and irresistible groove.
Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×2:00 pm
Ryan Lee Crosby (12
string + vocal),
Grant Smith
(calabash) and Jay
Scheffler
(harmonica). Ryan
Lee Crosby lives in
Rhode Island, but
his musical heart
is
in Mississippi.
He
has released
numerous albums,
toured
internationally and
is a devoted
practitioner of the
Bentonia Blues
tradition.
Smithsonian
Magazine
called him
"a young
torchbearer" of the
style and praised
his ability to
"bring influences
from Africa and
India to the
Bentonia sound."
Crosby's new album
"At the Blue Front"
(featuring legend
Jimmy “Duck”
Holmes)
offers a
hypnotic
meld of
Bentonia and
Hill
Country blues.
Recorded on tape at
Holmes’ iconic juke
joint, the album
was
produced by
Crosby,
with a
selection of
original and
traditional
repertoire.
https://ryanleecrosby.com/press-kit
×Where: Travelers Hotel
Brand-new hotel in an old renovate brick building in the center of historic downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi. Cool lobby bar lounge.
http://www.statyattravelers.com
×2:00 pm
Where: Deak Harp Harmonica Shop
2:00 pm
Ray Cashman is a Mississippi singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose gritty, blues-driven sound has
carried him across stages throughout the United States and Europe. For over 20 years, he has
toured USA and Europe annually, earning a loyal following with his powerful voice, raw guitar style,
and storytelling through song. Performing mostly original material, Cashman’s music blends
traditional blues roots with a modern edge, creating songs that are both timeless and deeply
personal. His catalog includes several acclaimed albums, and his work has been featured in
television and motion pictures, further cementing his reputation as an authentic voice in American
roots music.
Where: Hambone Art & Music
PLEASE NOTE: Saturday night (April 12, 2025), IF Juke Joint Festival Sat-night Wristbands are NOT sold-out, then limited quantities will be available for purchase only at the 243 Delta Ave JJF HQ building (only till 8:30pm) AND Ground Zero Blues Club, Hambone Gallery and Hopson Commissary (if/while supplies last). Entry to any/all 20+ JJF Sat-night venues requires a festival wristband. No exceptions. Details on Wristband webpage or in program booklet.
HAMBONE: "Hambone Art Gallery" and bar, Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,between Madidi's and Theo's Rock and Roll Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by Charlie Conerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was the old Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Both
blues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer for many roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical, but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Object
pieces.
2:00 pm
Born and raised in Clarksdale, MS. Cricket began playing piano at age five and developed into a skilled blues pianist and singer.
She has recorded and performed with blues legends such as Sam Carr, Robert "Bilbo" Walker, and Chicago's Dave Riley.
Her performance history includes appearances at notable venues like Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero, Bluesberry, Hambones Art gallery,
Red's, B. B. King's Club Ebony in Indianola, MS, The Hostil, Oxford Blues Festival, Big Steam Blues Festival Hot Springs, AR., the King Biscuit Festival, Helena, AR., Sunflower Blues Festival, and many more. She performed at Clarkdale's Juke Joint Festival, April, 2025, both daytime and evening slots
and had a special guest appearance on "Rock on Radio, calling in live from Clarksdale to share her music and experiences.
Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×2:30 pm
Ramblin’ Dan Stevens is an acoustic blues stylist, bottleneck slide player and protege of New York City's folk legend Dave Van Ronk. His music has been described as "Houserockin' fingerstyle blues emanating from the depths of the delta and careening through the New York centered folk/blues revival to the present. Spirit, presence and originality married to a reverence for authenticity of style." Long a relentlessly touring solo artist covering the Eastern US, Virgin Islands, UK and Germany, Dan performs a diverse selection of upbeat acoustic and electric blues, originals and roots music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLzuE4-i1mY
×Where: Tiny Barbershop Show - Marty's Barbershop
A classic Barbershop in downtown Clarksdale, Ms. Founded by Marty Eubank, the town Barber of over 50 years. The tradition is now carried on by Bear Ryan.
Bear is a classically trained Barber specializing in men’s grooming - scissor cuts, clipper cuts, and beard maintenance.
Bear is a musician. Hours vary as a result. The shop is generally always open Tues, Weds, Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays can vary. Hours are posted to the website - weekly - on Sundays .
https://www.bearthebarber.com/
×3:00 pm
Baptized in the fire water of Clarksdale, MS., Sean “Bad” Apple
began his spiritual journey of learning the blues by seeking out
the old blues musicians that were willing to share their years of
knowledge. Sean is working hard to keep Hill Country Blues alive
and well. People are always in for a good show and never leave
disappointed when the Bad Apple is on the stage
Where: Bad Apple Blues Club
Formerly "Club 2000" juke joint, the Bad Apple Blues Club is the blues venue run by Sean "Bad" Apple!
http://thefrontlinemusic.com/tag/club-2000/
×3:00 pm
Bill Abel learned
first hand from
Delta blues legends
of the likes of Paul
“Wine" Jones,
Cadillac
John
Nolden, T
Model
Ford, and Honey Boy
Edwards. Bill plays
a hard driving
electrified country
blues, a gritty
unorthodox
modern
day juke joint
sound, unique in its
own. He has toured
Europe and the
United States
headlining many
festivals.
Where: Deak Harp Harmonica Shop
3:00 pm
New and classic blues brought to you from Ventura, California by Delta by the Beach. This lively quartet brings jumping blues, funky-swamp sounds and exhilarating dance grooves to the party. “Our feet are on the beach but our hearts are in Mississippi ”
http://www.deltabythebeach.com
×Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×3:00 pm
Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies
Born and raised in Pontotoc, Mississippi, just a stone’s throw from the Mississippi Delta, Joe Austin was immersed in
American music at an early age. His childhood was filled with blues, gospel harmonies in church and “front porch pickin’”
amongst gatherings of family and friends. His grandfather was a finger style guitar player on his off time from being one of
the first crop duster pilots in the state. Growing up, Joe was mesmerized watching his grandad play and learned to sing
along. His grandad passed away and left his guitar to Joe. That’s when he learned to play guitar like he’d always wanted to.
A few years later he also learned fiddle and really began to find his niche. After high school, he attended college on a music
scholarship and played in a country music ensemble. After college, he played professionally based out of Nashville and
Memphis. However, the Texas music scene had always appealed to him. In November 2014 he got the opportunity to move
to north Texas where he produced a record on singer songwriter Tom McElvain titled “Redemption”.
https://www.joeaustinandthetallahatchies.com/
×3:00 pm
Lou Shields armed
with his 1931
National Resonator
and his 1930s
archtop guitars
captivates his
audiences with his
unique front porch
style. A prolific
songwriter, Lou
performs original
songs inspired by
Country Blues, Delta
Blues and American
Roots. Lou is a must
see.
Where: Travelers Hotel
Brand-new hotel in an old renovate brick building in the center of historic downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi. Cool lobby bar lounge.
http://www.statyattravelers.com
×3:30 pm
Duwayne has been
immersed in music
since birth, as the
sound of his father
and
friends’
playing regularly
filled the Burnside
household. At 12, he
began to play
drums,
occasionally
supporting R.L. and
performing in the
bands at Junior
Kimbrough’s juke
joint in the fields
outside of Holly
Springs. By age 14,
he’d switched to
guitar and
became a
member of his
father’s band just
in time for the
recording of Sound
Machine
Groove. At
15, he moved to
Memphis to make his
own way in the
dynamic and vital
blues scene that
sprawls from the
Bluff City to
Mississippi’s hills
and Delta. He
ricocheted between
Memphis and the
Holly Springs area
in subsequent
decades,
settling
in his hometown once
again in the early
2000s. Duwayne has
also
supplemented
his career as a
guitarist, singer,
and bassist by
operating a series
of
juke joints in
Memphis, Chulahoma,
and Holly Springs.
Just this spring he
opened the
latest:
the Burnside Bar and
Grill at 645 North
Highway 7 in Holly
Springs.
https://www.facebook.com/duwayneburnsidemusic/
×Where: Bluesberry Cafe
4:00 pm
Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×4:00 pm
Ray Cashman is a Mississippi singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose gritty, blues-driven sound has
carried him across stages throughout the United States and Europe. For over 20 years, he has
toured USA and Europe annually, earning a loyal following with his powerful voice, raw guitar style,
and storytelling through song. Performing mostly original material, Cashman’s music blends
traditional blues roots with a modern edge, creating songs that are both timeless and deeply
personal. His catalog includes several acclaimed albums, and his work has been featured in
television and motion pictures, further cementing his reputation as an authentic voice in American
roots music.
Where: Tiny Barbershop Show - Marty's Barbershop
A classic Barbershop in downtown Clarksdale, Ms. Founded by Marty Eubank, the town Barber of over 50 years. The tradition is now carried on by Bear Ryan.
Bear is a classically trained Barber specializing in men’s grooming - scissor cuts, clipper cuts, and beard maintenance.
Bear is a musician. Hours vary as a result. The shop is generally always open Tues, Weds, Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays can vary. Hours are posted to the website - weekly - on Sundays .
https://www.bearthebarber.com/
×4:00 pm
Billy Jeter and Billy Jeter Band
Singer and Songwriter of Delta Blues/Delta Roots and Contemporary Folk. 2025 Arkansas Americana nominee. Sixth album Delta Traces is currently charted at number 3 on the Roots Contemporary folk chart. It is over a year old and spent several months as number one. Currently recording my seventh album. Delta Traces has grabbed international play and also features fellow former Jefferson County Arkansas artist Bobby Rush on the single Hambone Stomp.
Where: Hambone Art & Music
PLEASE NOTE: Saturday night (April 12, 2025), IF Juke Joint Festival Sat-night Wristbands are NOT sold-out, then limited quantities will be available for purchase only at the 243 Delta Ave JJF HQ building (only till 8:30pm) AND Ground Zero Blues Club, Hambone Gallery and Hopson Commissary (if/while supplies last). Entry to any/all 20+ JJF Sat-night venues requires a festival wristband. No exceptions. Details on Wristband webpage or in program booklet.
HAMBONE: "Hambone Art Gallery" and bar, Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,between Madidi's and Theo's Rock and Roll Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by Charlie Conerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was the old Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Both
blues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer for many roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical, but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Object
pieces.
4:30 pm
North Mississippi Hill Country blues boogieman Lightnin' Malcolm (usually with his trusty sidekick Prayer Bailey on drums and second vocals) has been a fixture at juke joints like Red's Lounge (and yard parties like ol' RL Boyce used to throw) for years and years. He's also played on stage or in studio with everyone from Big George Brock and RL Boyce to Hubert Sumlin and CeDell Davis.
https://lightninmalcolm.com/home
×Where: Bluesberry Cafe
5:00 pm
Where: Against the Grain
The Woodcarver's Gallery
Against the Grain is owned by local artist Bryan Weems. A native of Coahoma County, Weems offers wood burning, murals, chainsaw carving, caricatures, art lessons, paint & craft parties and more.
5:00 pm
Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×5:30 pm
Where: Tiny Barbershop Show - Marty's Barbershop
A classic Barbershop in downtown Clarksdale, Ms. Founded by Marty Eubank, the town Barber of over 50 years. The tradition is now carried on by Bear Ryan.
Bear is a classically trained Barber specializing in men’s grooming - scissor cuts, clipper cuts, and beard maintenance.
Bear is a musician. Hours vary as a result. The shop is generally always open Tues, Weds, Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays can vary. Hours are posted to the website - weekly - on Sundays .
https://www.bearthebarber.com/
×5:30 pm
Robert Kimbrough Sr continues the Cotton Patch Soul Blues style created by his father, the legendary Junior
Kimbrough. From an early age, Robert was steeped in the sounds and life of North Mississippi and its distinctive
style of blues. Growing up, Robert listened, first-hand to Mississippi blues royalty that played with his father at
home, at Junior’s Juke Joint Club, and the ever frequent weekend house party and porch jam session. The blues
was simply part of everyday life as a Kimbrough. Robert continues his father’s musical tradition, along with some
of his siblings. You can often find many of them sharing the stage on any given night in Mississippi. The
Kimbrough name, along with the Burnside name, is part of a blues dynasty that remains strong today, bringing
people from all over the world to see and hear them play.
The Cotton Patch Soul Blues style that Robert plays is a straight link to the music that his father originated in
North Mississippi. It is a deep soul sound that can be linked back to his ancestors coming from the cotton fields,
singing and ‘hollering‘ as they worked in the tall rows of Mississippi cotton. This distinct and somewhat
underground style of blues is rooted in hypnotic, rhythms and dance-able grooves. The Black Keys released an
entire album in 2006 of Junior Kimbrough cover songs called Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough. Up
until the mid 80s, the only way to hear this music was to visit a church-turned-blues-den founded by Junior
Kimbrough in Chulahoma, MS that unfortunately burned down in 2000.
Where: Bluesberry Cafe
7:00 pm
Where: Against the Grain
The Woodcarver's Gallery
Against the Grain is owned by local artist Bryan Weems. A native of Coahoma County, Weems offers wood burning, murals, chainsaw carving, caricatures, art lessons, paint & craft parties and more.
7:00 pm
All Crawfish Go to Heaven is a trio consisting of Scott Dennis (guitar and vocals) and brothers Will Arledge (guitar and vocals) and Curt Arledge (drums), playing the deep blues of the Mississippi Hill Country and Delta regions, focusing on the hypnotic grooves of RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Fred McDowell, amongst others.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allcrawfishgotoheaven?igsh=Mm42YW51YmxkaHht&utm_source=qr
Other clips:
https://youtu.be/rRylNdFwg_w?si=9b1eHLvMfhlCqGq-
https://youtu.be/bzQ7DAN-FKo
https://youtu.be/E11mFOo3pFc
https://youtu.be/de2OJEr0wdY?si=U8RjRKF3U9DQHIUt
×Where: Pete's Grill
LIVE BLUES TBA. Night time music venue with $10.00 wrist band.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petes-Cafe-Clarksdale-Ms/885163988186608
×7:00 pm
Ryan Lee Crosby (12
string + vocal),
Grant Smith
(calabash) and Jay
Scheffler
(harmonica). Ryan
Lee Crosby lives in
Rhode Island, but
his musical heart
is
in Mississippi.
He
has released
numerous albums,
toured
internationally and
is a devoted
practitioner of the
Bentonia Blues
tradition.
Smithsonian
Magazine
called him
"a young
torchbearer" of the
style and praised
his ability to
"bring influences
from Africa and
India to the
Bentonia sound."
Crosby's new album
"At the Blue Front"
(featuring legend
Jimmy “Duck”
Holmes)
offers a
hypnotic
meld of
Bentonia and
Hill
Country blues.
Recorded on tape at
Holmes’ iconic juke
joint, the album
was
produced by
Crosby,
with a
selection of
original and
traditional
repertoire.
https://ryanleecrosby.com/press-kit
×Where: Levon's Bar & Grill
7:00 pm
Dallas Alice is a
high energy avant-
garde duo where
first generation
blues meets jazz
fusion. True
spontaneity where
nothing is rehearsed
or written but a
live musical
conversation between
two pros. Dallas
Alice is comprised
of the virtuosity of
Alice Hasen of
Memphis, TN and the
fearless
improvisation of
Mississippi music
veteran John Mohead.
Where: Auberge Hostel (Old Madidi Bar)
Perfect location. Excellent accommodations and incredible rates.
https://www.aubergehostels.com/clarksdale/
×7:30 pm
Ghalia Volt is a force of nature who comes to Juke Joint Festival from New Orleans but originally hails from Belgium, where the blues bug bit early. After multiple visits to Mississippi and the American South in search of real-deal blues and roots musics, she moved here to join the scene. This year, she'll be featured as her amazing one-woman-blues-band. Be sure to ask about her latest CD and LP releases after her shows!
Where: Bluesberry Cafe
8:00 pm
Dr. B is the piano
player who runs the
Clarksdale's cool,
new listening room—
The Blue Room—where
he hosts a weekly
Open Mic, film
screenings and more.
Plan now to attend
his new Son House
Tribute Festival!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565447039451&sk=photos
×Where: The Blue Room
Downtown Clarksdale's new music listening room, run by Dr B!
8:00 pm
Robert Kimbrough Sr. Blues Connection
The youngest guitar playing son of North Mississippi blues legend Junior Kimbrough keeps his father's "cotton patch soul blues" sounds alive at jukes, clubs and festivals throughout the South. Robert and his band are regulars at Juke Joint Festival, having played the annual event for years. Ask him about his latest CD.
https://robertkimbroughsr.com/
×Where: Red's Lounge
Red's Lounge? It's the definition of a real-deal Mississippi juke joint. Don't expect to be spoiled with amenities. All you need is a been-there-done-that owner, some beers as big as your head and some "live" blues you'll never forget. (Oh, and MAYBE something out front on the grill.) This is how blues became blues... how the music grew up out of the cotton fields and onto a round piece of vinyl. Speaking of which, the building itself was called "Levine's Music Center" back in the day, and it's where Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm bought the instruments that played the first rock 'n roll song. Yeah, Red's is the real thing for sure...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reds-Blues-Club/163702543685722
×8:00 pm
Stan Steet and friends play regularly at Hambone Gallery, 111 E. Second Street.
https://stanstreet.com/hambone-festival/
×Where: Hambone Art & Music
PLEASE NOTE: Saturday night (April 12, 2025), IF Juke Joint Festival Sat-night Wristbands are NOT sold-out, then limited quantities will be available for purchase only at the 243 Delta Ave JJF HQ building (only till 8:30pm) AND Ground Zero Blues Club, Hambone Gallery and Hopson Commissary (if/while supplies last). Entry to any/all 20+ JJF Sat-night venues requires a festival wristband. No exceptions. Details on Wristband webpage or in program booklet.
HAMBONE: "Hambone Art Gallery" and bar, Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,between Madidi's and Theo's Rock and Roll Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by Charlie Conerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was the old Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Both
blues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer for many roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical, but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Object
pieces.
8:00 pm
Anthony 'Big A' Sherrod & Allstars
He's been called "The Torchbearer of the Clarksdale Sound" with good reason. No other
blues guitarist alive played with so many of the late-greats of the infamous Clarksdale
blues scene. Anthony "Big A" Sherrod played in bands with Big Jack Johnson, Super
Chikan, Big George Brock, Bilbo Walker, Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson, Michael "Dr. Mike"
James, Josh "Razorblade" Stewart, Mr. Johnnie Billington and others (plus sat in with
Buddy Guy's 1990s Clarksdale appearance). Today, he leads his own deeply-juke-joint
blues trio: Big A & the Allstars, with Heather Crosse and Lee Williams. (PHOTO BY JEFF
KONKEL.)
https://anthonybigasherrod.bandcamp.com/album/right-on-time
×Where: Ground Zero Blues Club
HEY Y'ALL! "Yes," Ground Zero Blues Club (which was temporarily closed this winter) is reopening in late March—just in time for the best Juke Joint Festival ever!! GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB: Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, Bill Luckett, Howard Stovall and Eric Meier, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there.
http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com
×8:00 pm
John Krupa Project started in New Orleans, LA (and has recently relocated to Austin, TX)
and play deep groove, blues-based rock'n'roll. John Krupa cut his teeth playing punk rock
in Connecticut and Minneapolis, MN in the '90s and since then he's lived on the west coast
and continued his journey into the deep south where the roots of American music–
rock'n'roll, blues, and soul continue to influence and guide his sound. While focussing on
writing and recording his original songs, he is not ashamed to wear his influences on his
sleeves– Rolling Stones, Johnny Winter, The Faces, Allman Brothers Band, North
Mississippi Hill Country Blues, Stax records style soul, Tony Joe White, Black Crowes, as
well as proto-punk and garage bands like The Stooges, The Clash, MC5 and The Sonics.
The sound that comes out is a product of the experiences lived.
Where: Ooze Bar
The new Ooze Bar (in former Rock & Blues Museum location next to Hambone) is the new blues bar/toy museum inspiration of The Mojo Hands leader Chris Mullens!
https://www.instagram.com/themojohands/?hl=en
×8:00 pm
If you like guitar
driven blues rock,
fluid and intricate
finger style guitar
picking, and
emotional
songwriting, you
are
at the right
place.
With over
forty
years of
teaching
guitar
lessons to
beginners
and
advanced
players
alike, along
with
over thirty
CD’s on
the market,
Roger
“Hurricane”
Wilson
has made his
own
mark on the
music
world. The
legendary Les Paul
once said about
Roger, This guy
plays some great
blues.” Atlanta
treasure Francine
Reed stated that,
Roger “Hurricane”
Wilson is a force
to
be
reckonedwith.”
With
over a million
miles
under his
belt, and
having
shared the
stage
with such
notable
artists as
B.B.
King, Buddy
Guy,
Hubert Sumlin,
Willie “Big Eyes”
Smith, Jorma
Kaukonen, Charlie
Musselwhite, and
many more. Roger
“Hurricane” Wilson
is just getting
started.
Where: Pete's Grill
LIVE BLUES TBA. Night time music venue with $10.00 wrist band.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petes-Cafe-Clarksdale-Ms/885163988186608
×8:15 pm
Downtown Charlie Brown Blues Band
Downtown Charlie
Brown, a Chicagoland
favorite, is a
regular at landmarks
like Buddy Guy’s
Legends and The
Desplaines Theater
in Chicagoland. He
performs at venues
across the country,
including Ground
Zero in Clarksdale
and Biloxi,
Mississippi, on King
Biscuit Time in
Helena, Arkansas,
Bluesberry Café in
Clarksdale, and XCAl
in Ashburn Verginia.
You can see him at
festivals across the
United States. He
was referred to as
“Chicago’s Delta” by
American Blues Scene
and was also
featured in Living
Blues, and BG Blues
and Music News
Magazines. His
band’s focus is
Delta and Chicago
Blues.
http://www.downtowncharliebrown.com
×Where: Against the Grain
The Woodcarver's Gallery
Against the Grain is owned by local artist Bryan Weems. A native of Coahoma County, Weems offers wood burning, murals, chainsaw carving, caricatures, art lessons, paint & craft parties and more.
8:30 pm
Carlos Elliot,Bobby Gentilo,Eduardo Oviedo
8:30 pm LIVE MUSIC : Carlos Elliot,Bobby Gentilo,Eduardo Oviedo
Bluesberry Cafe 235 Yazoo Ave
Where: Bluesberry Cafe
9:00 pm
Blue Room 216 Third St
Where: The Blue Room
Downtown Clarksdale's new music listening room, run by Dr B!
10:00 pm
In the world of Mississippi blues and folk art, you won't find much
better than Mr. James "Super Chikan" Johnson. He is the man.
His "live" shows are legendary for their originality and energy.
Whether he's playing his signature B.C. Rich guitar or one of his
homemade gas can "Chikan-tars," you'll know that good times
have entered the building after the first three notes. Winner of the
Governor's Award for Excellence in the arts, Chikan recently
released his 4th and perhaps best CD, "Chikan Supe." He's been
all over the world, but this weekend he's back in town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqi_j5Glmtc
×Where: Bluesberry Cafe
10:00 pm
All Crawfish Go to Heaven is a trio consisting of Scott Dennis (guitar and vocals) and brothers Will Arledge (guitar and vocals) and Curt Arledge (drums), playing the deep blues of the Mississippi Hill Country and Delta regions, focusing on the hypnotic grooves of RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Fred McDowell, amongst others.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allcrawfishgotoheaven?igsh=Mm42YW51YmxkaHht&utm_source=qr
Other clips:
https://youtu.be/rRylNdFwg_w?si=9b1eHLvMfhlCqGq-
https://youtu.be/bzQ7DAN-FKo
https://youtu.be/E11mFOo3pFc
https://youtu.be/de2OJEr0wdY?si=U8RjRKF3U9DQHIUt
×Where: Ooze Bar
The new Ooze Bar (in former Rock & Blues Museum location next to Hambone) is the new blues bar/toy museum inspiration of The Mojo Hands leader Chris Mullens!
https://www.instagram.com/themojohands/?hl=en
×10:30 pm
Guitarist, Jesse Cotton Stone, is a Colorado-Born, American Highway-Raised, Blues Man. He began
teaching himself to play blues guitar by ear, starting at the age of 11.
And he's been pickin' his guts out all over the U.S. since 1994.
Jesse has toured from Colorado to the Bayous of Southern Louisiana several times and has
performed multiple shows at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, AR., the Juke Joint Festival and
Deep Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi, not to mention Juke joints Road houses and other
small venues throughout the region.
https://jessecottonstone.com/home
×Where: Pete's Grill
LIVE BLUES TBA. Night time music venue with $10.00 wrist band.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petes-Cafe-Clarksdale-Ms/885163988186608
×11:30 pm
Where: Ooze Bar
The new Ooze Bar (in former Rock & Blues Museum location next to Hambone) is the new blues bar/toy museum inspiration of The Mojo Hands leader Chris Mullens!
https://www.instagram.com/themojohands/?hl=en
×(Cover may apply.)
PHOTO WALK with Church Goin Mule
Meet outside of Meraki Roasting Company at 8 am. We will walk around downtown Clarksdale taking photos. Open to all levels of photographers, including phone cameras. Free. Arrive earlier if you'd like to get coffee or get tips on how to use your phone or camera.
×Where: Meraki Roasting Company
Meraki Roasting Company - Freshly Roasted Artisan Coffee roasted in house supporting our youth entrepreneurship program. Come visit our roastery to try our current coffee profiles. Pastries made by local vendors. www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
www.merakiroasting.com www.griotarts.com
282 Sunflower Ave
Meraki Hours:
Monday-Sunday (every day!) 7am to 2 pm
http://www.griotarts.com/meraki
×Tours: Living Blues and Civil Rights Museum
Wed April 8 – Sun April 11 9am – 5pm Tours: Living Blues and Civil Rights Museum 615 Sunflower Avenue
×Sunflower River Camping Thursday-Saturday, April 9th-12th, 2026 In partnership with the Clarksdale Police Dept Quapaw Canoe Company is offering bathroom and shower access to persons camping along banks of Sunflower River in the City Park around our facility and in other places downtown. Bathroom and shower access is $35/tent/night for 2 people, $15 each additional person/night. Proceeds generated are split with our partners the Clarksdale Police Dept. Bring your own tent and sleeping bags. Don’t park on asphalt drive which the police use for access. Camping is in grassy areas of City Park to north of ramp, and any flat grassy places down along the river. Please don’t block gravel road access to Canoe Company. No open fires, but camp stoves, hibachis or small personal-sized BBQ okay. No smoking (city ordinance in public places). Face masks and social distancing. Reserve and pay for your spot on website www.island63.com (dropdown menu “Additional Resources”). For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 (leave message) or John Ruskey 662-902-7841, Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-6479, or Ceili Hale 601-918-6810.
×Where: Quapaw Canoe Company
All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 13– Saturday April 15. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company or info@island63.com, John Ruskey 662-902-7841, Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-6479, Lee Perlow 312-246-3223, or Whit Smith 870-919-6654.
*1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You?
1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Thursday - Saturday Thursday-Saturday, April 9th-11th, 2026 In partnership with 1Mississippi - MRN - Mississippi River Network Ongoing Exhibit and Southern campaign headquarters for the 1Mississippi River Citizen Program. Come on over and learn about how you can help protect and better the waters of America, our drinking water, swimming water & lifeblood of the nation. Become a River Citizen and join us in making the Mississippi River sparkle like the beautiful “Queen of Rivers” that she is. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 (leave message) or John Ruskey 662-902-7841, Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-6479, or Ceili Hale 601-918-6810.
×Where: Quapaw Canoe Company
All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 13– Saturday April 15. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company or info@island63.com, John Ruskey 662-902-7841, Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-6479, Lee Perlow 312-246-3223, or Whit Smith 870-919-6654.
NEW EXHIBIT: "The River and the Road to the Blues"
Delta Blues Museum Upstairs Gallery Open 10A - 5P daily Special Museum hours on Sunday, April 12 from 1P - 5P
×Where: Delta Blues Museum
Since its creation, the Delta Blues Museum has preserved, interpreted, and encouraged a deep interest in the story of the blues. Established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and re-organized as a stand-alone museum in 1999, the Delta Blues Museum is the state’s oldest music museum.
http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org
×Exhibit : Medgar Evers Coming Home Exhibit
Exhibit sneak peek : Judge James Walter Wright Exhibit located at the future home of the Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum April 9, 2026- April 13, 2026 12:00p.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily lunch and dinner An array of catered offerings including Japanese Curry, Thai Curry, Gumbo, Taco Bar, Fruit and Salads 238 Delta Avenue or To Go Orders at 662-592-1767
×Where: Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum (future site)
Century-old building undergoing renovations to become the new Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum. Open as classic juke joint venue for JJF 2026! Conveniently located near Stone Pony restuarant, Cat Head store and JJF HQ building.
Exhibit sneek peek : Judge James Walter Wright Exhibit
Exhibit sneak peek : Judge James Walter Wright Exhibit located at the future home of the Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum April 9, 2026- April 13, 2026 12:00p.m. - 6:00 p.m. daily lunch and dinner An array of catered offerings including Japanese Curry, Thai Curry, Gumbo, Taco Bar, Fruit and Salads 238 Delta Avenue or To Go Orders at 662-592-1767
×Where: Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum (future site)
Century-old building undergoing renovations to become the new Clarksdale Cultural Heritage Museum. Open as classic juke joint venue for JJF 2026! Conveniently located near Stone Pony restuarant, Cat Head store and JJF HQ building.
Crawfish Boil with Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies Hopson Courtyard 10 Commissary Circle
×Who: Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies
Born and raised in Pontotoc, Mississippi, just a stone’s throw from the Mississippi Delta, Joe Austin was immersed in
American music at an early age. His childhood was filled with blues, gospel harmonies in church and “front porch pickin’”
amongst gatherings of family and friends. His grandfather was a finger style guitar player on his off time from being one of
the first crop duster pilots in the state. Growing up, Joe was mesmerized watching his grandad play and learned to sing
along. His grandad passed away and left his guitar to Joe. That’s when he learned to play guitar like he’d always wanted to.
A few years later he also learned fiddle and really began to find his niche. After high school, he attended college on a music
scholarship and played in a country music ensemble. After college, he played professionally based out of Nashville and
Memphis. However, the Texas music scene had always appealed to him. In November 2014 he got the opportunity to move
to north Texas where he produced a record on singer songwriter Tom McElvain titled “Redemption”.
The Real Blues: Book talk and signing by Clarksdale native Marvin Reddick
Marvin Reddick’s book The Real Blues and this conversation provide a rare, raw and honest inside look at the culture of the people who started and still maintain the real blues, from an inside perspective.
×Where: Crossroads Cultural Arts Center
Clarksdale, MS is located in the Mississippi delta and is famously home to many artists. The Crossroads Cultural Arts Center will include an art gallery, creative spaces for learning, performance space, a visiting artists loft, and retail space. The Center would be infused with the works of traditional and contemporary Delta musicians and visual artists, with an emphasis on local African-American artists and their traditions.
https://www.facebook.com/CrossroadsCulturalArtsCenter/
×Juke Joint Festival® name and logo are registered trademarks of Clarksdale Downtown Development Association. All rights reserved.