The blues will be celebrated in a big way this summer if the 2025 Chicago Blues Festival lineup announced Wednesday morning by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is any indication.
The largest free blues festival in the world, which runs June 5-8, features three days of performances across four stages in Millennium Park, a Maxwell Street Blues Series, and a full day of programming at the Ramova Theatre.
Headlining the 41st annual festival at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium park are Grammy Award winner and Chicago gospel/R&B icon Mavis Staples (June 8), Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (June 7), and a B.B. King Centennial tribute (June 6) featuring Kingfish, D.K. Harrell, and Jonathan Ellison with the B.B. King Centennial Band.
Opening day kicks off at the Ramova (3520 S. Halsted Street), hosted by WVON-1690, featuring “The Blues Sessions” panel moderated by blues scholar/music producer Dick Shurman, a conversation with bluesman Bobby Rush, followed by performances by Rush and Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues. Fans must RSVP online (first-come, first-served) for this free event starting at 10 a.m. May 6 at ramovachicago.com.
For more information on the entire festival, visit ChicagoBluesFestival.us.
Here is the Blues Festival schedule:
June 5 Ramova Theatre, 3520 S. Halsted St., Bridgeport
Doors open at 3:30 p.m.; programming 4–11 p.m.
(18+; minors accompanied by their guardian will be admitted)
- 4–5 p.m. – Living Blues Panel Discussion
Featuring Jim O’Neal, Scott Barretta, Brett Bonner, Bruce Iglauer and Deitra Farr; moderated by Dick Shurman; introductions by Visit Mississippi’s Michelle McAdoo - 5:30–6:30 p.m. – Up Close & Personal with Bobby Rush; moderated by Julia Miller, president/CEO of Delmark Records; presented with the Recording Academy – Chicago Chapter
- 7:30–8:30 p.m. – Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues
- 9–10:15 p.m. – Bobby Rush
June 6 – Millennium Park
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
- 3:45–4 p.m. – Emcee intro, national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
- 4–5 p.m. – D.K. Harrell
- 5:15–6:15 p.m. – Dawn Tyler Watson
- 6:30–7:15 p.m. – John Primer with Steve Bell
- 7:30–9 p.m. – B.B. King Centennial tribute, featuring Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, D.K. Harrell and Jonathan Ellison with the B.B. King Centennial Band, co-presented with the B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center
Visit Mississippi Crossroads Stage (South Promenade)
- Noon–1:15 p.m. – Lady Adrena and LA Band
- 1:30–2:45 p.m. – Vick Allen featuring the Velvet Soul Band
- 3–4:15 p.m. – Johnny Rawls Soul Review
- 4:30–5:45 p.m. – Eddie Cotton
Rosa’s Lounge Stage (North Promenade)
- 12:30–1:45 p.m. – Ivan Singh
- 2–3:15 p.m. – Jamiah “Dirty Deacon” Rogers and the Dirty Church Band
- 3:30–4:45 p.m. – Rico McFarland
- 5–6:15 p.m. – Sheryl Youngblood
- 6:30–7:45 p.m. – The Mike Wheeler Band
June 7 – Millennium Park
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
- 3:45–4 p.m. – Emcee intro, national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
- 4–5:15 p.m. – Women in blues tribute to Denise LaSalle
Featuring Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Thornetta Davis, Nora Jean Wallace and Mzz. Reese with Jonathan Ellison - 5:30–6:15 p.m. – Joey J. Saye, Stephen Hull and Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
- 6:30–7:30 p.m. – Latimore
- 7:45–9 p.m. – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Visit Mississippi Crossroads Stage (South Promenade)
- Noon–1:15 p.m. – 2 Blues for You
- 1:30–2:45 p.m. – Jessie Robinson
- 3–4:15 p.m. – Vickie Baker, the V Souls and the Groove Crew
- 4:30–5:45 p.m. – John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band
Rosa’s Lounge Stage (North Promenade)
- 12:30–1:45 p.m. – Stefan Hillesheim Band
- 2–3:15 p.m. – Michael Damani
- 3:30–4:45 p.m. – Lynne Jordan and the Shivers
- 5–6:15 p.m. – Joe Barr and the Platinum Band
- 6:30–7:45 p.m. – Theo Huff
Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace – Next Generation of Blues
- 11–11:45 a.m. – Wendy & DB
- Noon–12:45 p.m. – Chicago Blues Revival
- 1–1:45 p.m. – Curie Metropolitan High School
- 2–2:45 p.m. – Bandwith
- 3–4 p.m. – VanderCook College of Music
June 8 – Millennium Park
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
- 3:30–3:45 p.m. – Emcee intro, national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
- 3:45–5 p.m. – Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation celebrates the 75th anniversary of Chess Records
- 5:15–6:15 p.m. – C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band
- 6:30–7:30 p.m. – Lurrie Bell and Frank Catalano
- 7:45–9 p.m. – Mavis Staples
Visit Mississippi Crossroads Stage (South Promenade)
- Noon–1:15 p.m. – Stevie J and the Blues Eruption
- 1:30–2:45 p.m. – Nellie “Tiger” Travis
- 3–4:15 p.m. – Jonathan Ellison
- 4:30–5:45 p.m. – Ms. Jody
Rosa’s Lounge Stage (North Promenade)
- 12:30–1:45 p.m. – Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
- 2–3:15 p.m. – Jimmy Burns Band
- 3:30–4:45 p.m. – Nick Alexander Blues Band
- 5–6:15 p.m. – Sonia Astacio
- 6:30–7:45 p.m. – 3 by 3 Crew: Freddie Dixon, John Watkins, Maurice Vaughn with Tim Taylor
Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace – Next Generation of Blues
- 11–11:45 a.m. – Wiggleworms featuring Amanda Payne & Will Fancher of Old Town School of Folk Music
- Noon–12:45 p.m. – Fernando Jones Presents the Knott Us Band
- 1–1:45 p.m. – Kenwood Academy High School
- 2–2:45 p.m. – Nicholas Senn High School
- 3–4 p.m. – A Patch of Blues
June 8 – Maxwell Street Blues Series
Maxwell Street (between South Halsted Street and South Union Avenue)
- 10–11 a.m. – DJ James Porter
- 11 a.m.–noon – Marty “Big Dog” Mercer Duo
- Noon–12:30 p.m. – DJ James Porter
- 12:30–1:30 p.m. – Omar Coleman Westside Soul
- 1:30–2 p.m. – DJ James Porter
- 2–3 p.m. – Harmonica Hinds Duo