Fans of the blues in London are getting their festival back.
It was announced Friday morning that the London Bluesfest will be held in Victoria Park from Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28. Opening night will run from 6pm to 11pm, while the Saturday and Sunday festivities will run from 1pm to 11pm.
There will be four stages in the park and two licenced areas. Admission will be free.
“This event has tremendous potential to attract people from across the region to London for a weekend of live blues, great food in our downtown,” says Chris Campbell, Director of Culture and Entertainment Tourism at Tourism London. “London has always had a strong blues fan base and a great local blues community.”
The festival is being produced by London musician and businessman Ron Schroeyens. It will be in support of spinal cord research at the Parkwood Institute in London.
And while the music in Victoria Park will end at 11pm each night, several bars in the downtown area will host live music by blues bands in what's being called the "Five Bar Blues" tour. Participating bars and schedules will be released in the coming weeks.
As for the line-up on the Victoria Park stages, organizers say headline artists will be announced on June 13.