Organizers describe Aurora’s Blues on the Fox festival as a “modern day Woodstock.” (Photo by Thomas King / RiverEdge Park)

Blues fans from across the region, state, and country will converge on RiverEdge Park in Aurora this weekend for the city’s 21st Annual Blues on the Fox extravaganza.

The event attracts music lovers of all ages, and promises to be epic, as usual, said Jim Jarvis, Vice President of Programing and Sales for The Paramount Theatre.

“People from all over come together and everybody has that like mind; they all love music,” he said. “I always talk about the fact that it feels like a modern day Woodstock, but with the blues.”

The two-day event will be held June 16 and 17 at River Edge Park.

Jarvis warns, however, to buy them as quickly as you can.

“We’re selling the heck out of tickets,” he said. “Sales are going really, really well. Don’t wait for the night of the show to buy your tickets, because I have a feeling by Friday and Saturday there won’t be many left.”

That’s because this year’s line-up is a solid one.

On Friday, the “queens of the blues” will be taking the stage, Jarvis said.

“We’ll have two dominant female forces in the blues to kick us off,” he boasted.

Shemekia Copeland and Mavis Staples will perform on Friday night during what promises to be an evening full of dancing, festivities and fun.

“It’s been a few years since we had Shemekia perform, and we’re excited to have her back,” Jarvis said.

Staples is also a Blues on the Fox veteran. She was supposed to perform several years ago, but a thunderstorm swooped in and forced her off stage after about 20 minutes.

The annual Blues on the Fox festival in Aurora is considered a very family-friendly event, according to event organizers. (Photo by Thomas King / RiverEdge Park)

Jarvis said having the two women performing sets on Friday is a dream come true.

On Saturday, things heat up with a mixture of up and comers and seasoned veterans.

The Guy King band kicks things off at 3 p.m., followed by Elvin Bishop and Jonny Lang.

“Guy King is going to set the tone for the whole day for us,” Jarvis said excitedly. “The guy is amazing and so passionate about what he does. He loves the blues and having him back with us is totally cool.”

Jarvis also raved about “guitar blues prodigy” Jonny Lang.

“You talk about a guy that can easily tear your heart out with his guitar and give you goosebumps at the same time,” Jarvis said. “That’s Jonny.”
Devon Allman, slated to perform at 5 p.m., Saturday, June 17, is stepping away from all touring through the fall in the wake of the recent passing of his father Gregg Allman.

Stepping in for Allman at Blues on the Fox is the soulful, bluesy singer/songwriter Nicholas David, best known for his unforgettable 2012 run on NBC’s “The Voice.”

Jarvis said he’s confident the event will be a blast as usual.

“It’s a feel good event from the moment you get in line to enter the venue,” Jarvis said. “And, it’s very family driven. My 10 and 4-year-old kids have been coming for years.”

And, if you ask Jarvis, there’s no better place to see the blues.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Aurora has such a rich blues heritage,” he said. “I look out my window and I see the Leland Tower right there.”

In the 1930s, ground-breaking impact musicians John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy and others sat down to record their incredible sound at the Leland Hotel in downtown Aurora. The recordings have become part of the city’s history.

“I always think, man, what a rich history!” Jarvis said. “There’s no better place to see the blues than in Aurora.”

Heading to Blues on the Fox?

The two-day event will be held June 16 and 17 at RiverEdge Park. Gates open at 6 p.m. and shows start at 7 p.m. on Friday. Gates open at 2 p.m. and music starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $20 per day, and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

— Legends, newcomers ready to jam at Aurora’s Blues on the Fox  —