Limestone City Blues Festival promises ‘unforgettable return’ this August
This morning, the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA) announced the line-up for the 2022 Limestone City Blues Festival, which will take place in late August.
According to the media release dated Friday, Jun. 10, 2022, this year’s event promises an “unforgettable return to the festival’s full format.”
“We’re back in a big way,” said Jan MacDonald, Artistic Director of the Festival and Director of Events for the BIA. “Not only is this the 25th edition of the festival, but we are back to full strength since the onset of COVID, so we really wanted to put on a phenomenal weekend of blues music.”
Thursday night’s showstopper, Dione Taylor, has indeed been described as “phenomenal”, the BIA stated. She’s played for a president, a queen, and even Canadian icons Joni Mitchell and Robbie Robertson. On Thursday, August 25, Taylor will open the festival at 8 p.m. on the Confederation Park Stage.
According to the release, Friday night’s main stage show in The Hub features another powerhouse blues woman, Crystal Shawanda. The Juno Award winner will take the stage at 8 p.m., with Canadian blues guitarist and Juno nominee JW-Jones opening the show at 7 p.m.
Having played alongside B.B. King, Johnny Winter, and Buddy Guy, seasoned performer Albert Cummings knows his way around a stage, according to the release. And on Saturday, August 27, he’ll rock the festival’s Springer Market Square stage, closing out the evening at 9:30 p.m. Warming the stage that night is the Jerome Tucker Band with their explosive blend of funk, soul and blues, and Ottawa natives, HOROJO Trio.
The Downtown Kingston BIA stated that wristbands for the Limestone City Blues Festival, presented by K-ROCK 105.7, are available for online purchase beginning Friday, July 1, 2022, at 10 a.m., and can be purchased in person at participating clubs and the BIA office starting Monday, Jul. 18, 2022. A full list of participating clubs has yet to be released, but the Downtown Kingston website says “performance schedule coming soon!”
Wristbands are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate and give festival-goers access to all three nights of main stage performances, as well as participating club shows. The full line-up, including artist bios, is available at https://downtownkingston.ca/blogs/upcoming-events/limestone-city-blues-festival.
The BIA shared the following festival line-up:
Thursday, August 25th in Confederation Park: Dione Taylor at 8 p.m.
Friday, August 26th on the Princess Street Stage (Princess and Division): JW-Jones at 7 p.m. and Crystal Shawanda at 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 27th in Springer Market Square: Jerome Tucker Band at 7 p.m., HOROJO Trio at 8 p.m. and Albert Cummings at 9:30 p.m.