NORWICH – The 26th annual Chenango Blues Fest slated for Friday and Saturday, August 17 and 18 will see a dozen artists from across the country flock to the Chenango County Fairgrounds for a display of some of the best blues music one could see in an intimate venue.

Recognized nationally in 2016 as the recipient of The Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive award, the Chenango Blues Festival has asserted itself as a destination for lovers of the blues every summer since 1993.

And as the festival grows every year – the first Chenango Blues Fest in ‘93 had 200 attendees; last year’s blues fest had over 3,500 – so does the Chenango Blues Association’s (CBA) reputation and resources to book bigger acts.

Headlining this year’s festival will be Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio on the infield stage before Samantha Fish caps the weekend off on the tent stage.

Chenango Blues Association President Eric Larson said, “The two at the top of the bill Saturday night are a great one-two punch. Elvin Bishop is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, he’s a legend.

“Samantha Fish just won Best Female Artist of the Year at the Blues Music Awards, and she is a phenomenal guitar player and performer. She is absolutely the fastest rising star in blues and I don’t think anybody who knows blues would argue the point that she’s the next big deal.”