Music Everywhere

Wilmington hosts the Cape Fear Blues Festival, an extravaganza of authentic blues music featuring three days of local, regional and national blues group performances, all-day blues jam, kickoff party, and blues workshops.

A highlight of the event is the famous Blues Cruise on the Henrietta III riverboat offering three blues bands on three decks with three bars plus local cuisine, all in an exciting evening sunset cruise on the beautiful Cape Fear River. The festival is July 23-25, 2010.

North Carolina Jazz Festival

Another popular festival, celebrating its 31st anniversary in 2011, is the North Carolina Jazz Festival. This three-day event, which will be held at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside February 17-19, 2011, features nationally known as well as local jazz musicians.

Among the musicians confirmed for 2011 are vocalist Lynn Roberts, violinist Jonathan Russell and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. The 2010 event, featuring a host of musical talents, was a smashing success. musicians. A plethora of jazz styles too, from contemporary to New Orleans to traditional jazz sets.

Bluegrass Festival At Kure Beach

In September, the 8th Annual Southern Coastal Bluegrass Festival, September 18-19, 2010, is staged at the Fort Fisher Recreation Area in Kure Beach. This festival, also presented by Thalian Association, offers bluegrass and bluegrass gospel along with arts and crafts and storytelling. Clogging and square dancing is popular and good food is available to keep the participants and listeners happy.

Ken Scoggins, Movin’ on Bluegrass, L Shape Lot and Rhonda Vincent, among others, are appearing in 2010.

Pleasure Island, which encompasses Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Fort Fisher, also hosts two major music festivals each year. In June 2010 the 24th Annual Beach Music Festival will be held and in October, the 16th Annual Seafood, Blues and Jazz Festival will take place.