16th Annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival
Briggs Farm Concerts is proud to announce another exciting year of Blues at Briggs Farm on Friday July 12th & Saturday July 13th, 2013 in Nescopeck Township, Pennsylvania.
For sixteen years the Briggs family has been transforming their tranquil, rural farm into one of the most celebrated blues festivals in the world. Keeping music lovers and festival goers wanting more, from the time the first guitars ring out Friday afternoon until the campers go home Sunday.
Since its first year in 1998, Briggs Farm Blues Festival has been continually captivating and attracting larger audiences with bigger and better acts annually. This year Briggs Farm will be the most exciting lineup to date! Two stages hosting nineteen of the worlds most celebrated blues musicians, Mississippi delta style food. This years festival we anticipate the largest crowd to date!!!
Headlining the Main Stage on Friday is the enthusiastic, soulful Canadian based Shakura S’Aida and on Saturday night Chicago blues guitar master Lurrie Bell. Other main stage performances include, also from Chicago, The Kinsey Report, from the delta The Cedric Burnside Project, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, from North Carolina Mac Arnold, Philadelphia soul blues artist Georgie Bonds, and last but not least one of Briggs Farm’s favorites from NEPA Clarence Spady.
The most thrilling main stage performance of this year’s festival is Lurrie Bell. Lurrie is the son of famed blues harmonica player Carey Bell. Lurrie also grew up with many of the Chicago blues legends that helped shape and school him in the style of blues. Bell produced many albums and went on to open his own label Aria B. G. Records. Bell was named the Male Blues Artist of the Year in the 2012 Living Blues Magazine Awards and as he did 2008. Bell has been named Best Blues Guitarist in five of the last six years and is one of the most captivating live performers in the world today.
In its fifth year the Back Porch stage will again be something to not miss out on. The stage is constructed to look like a real back porch to provide audiences with intimate performances from 11 acts. Lonnie Shields will be headlining the stage Friday and Saturday night, feeding audiences with his extraordinary sense of blues and performance, while feeding them with Mississippi inspired delta food as the festivals grill master during the day. Other Back Porch stage performances include the return of the fast fingered guitarist Eli Cook, the diverse music of NEPA favorites The Badlees, renowned musician Lurrie Bell in a gospel acoustic set, crowd favorite 15-year-old Jesse Loewy, and several local artists including Rare Form, Ed Randazzo w/ Bret Alexander, Symphonic Haze, and James Owens w/ Dustin Drevitch.
With musical acts changing every year it is a mystery as to how the Briggs Farm Blues Fest is achieving record breaking crowds each year. Or is it? One may think the festival would have an “off year” due to headliner changes and un-cooperative weather. However, that is not the case. If you talk to anyone who has been to a Briggs Farm Blues Fest chances are they have not missed another year since their first experience! This is because of the festival’s growing popularity from world class Blues acts, Mississippi delta inspired cuisine, arts vendors, on-site camping, free parking, and hayrides! Let’s not forget about the community of music lovers that you will meet upon arrival and the good vibrations that will be shared all weekend long.
Camping at Briggs Farm is a festival experience unlike any other. Many festival goers love being able to walk a short distance to their tent or RV, sitting around campfires with friends. Sleeping under the stars, waking up the next day in the woods or fields. Camping has been the fastest growing aspect of the festival from just 1 one camper our first year to over one thousand last year.
Briggs Farm is sure to provide you with a great environment and great friends making your stay on the farm memorable. When the gates close Sunday afternoon, do not worry, there is always the next year!
On Friday July 12th the camping area will open at 10:30 am, and the concert field will open at 2:00 pm. The following day, Saturday, the concert will open at 12:30 pm, and on Sunday the camping area will close at 2:00 pm.
Tickets are available online at www.briggsfarm.com, by telephone (570) 379-3342, or at local ticket outlets, Gallery of Sound locations, Munday St. Wilkes-Barre, South Main St. Wilkes-Barre, Hazelton (Laurel Mall), and Dickson City; The Amish Pantry, Rt. 93 Nescopeck Township; The Perfect Blend, Front St. Berwick; Fratello’s Pizza, Nescopeck; Endless Records 203 W. Main St. Bloomsburg.
All media requiring interviews, credentials, and access please contact Ginny Buckley: gbpress@ix.netcom.com ; (570) 474-5049 (office) (570) 594-5917 (mobile)
