The annual Silver Spring Blues Festival returns to downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, June 14, featuring Daryl Davis, Sue Foley, and the returning Silver Spring Blues All-Star Jam.
Blues Week starts on Sunday, June 8, at J. Hollinger’s Waterman’s Chophouse with a special dinner and performance by Daryl Davis and special guests Seth Kibel and Angela Hill.
The evening begins at 5 p.m. with a three-course, blues-inspired prix-fixe dinner created by chef-owner Jerry Hollinger, followed by performances starting at 6 p.m.
According to Bethesda Magazine, Davis attended Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville and is also known for his expertise in race relations, particularly for engaging with members of the Ku Klux Klan, inspiring some to leave the organization and helping to dismantle the Klan’s operation in Maryland.
“The Silver Spring Blues Festival is a beloved tradition in our community, and we’re thrilled to kick off Blues Week with this special event,” Hollinger said. “We’ve designed a menu that’s rich in flavor and spirit, just like the music of Daryl Davis.”
Tickets for the Blues Sunday Supper are $70 and $75, with seatings from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. in 15-minute increments.
The Blues Week Kick-Off Concert is scheduled for Monday, June 6, featuring the Dave Chappell Band with Tommy Lepson, Pete Ragusa, Bruce Swain, and John Previti. The concert will take place at the American Legion Post 41, with tickets available for $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Throughout Blues Week, additional concerts will be held at various venues around downtown Silver Spring, including a free “Blues at the BioWall” concert held at United Therapeutics on Friday, June 13, from 3 to 7 p.m.
The festival day begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 14 with acoustic performances from Sadia Bangura, Steve Hung, Snakehead Run, The Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Ensemble, and “Little” Joe Bourgeois.
On the main stage, hosted by Ida Campbell of WPFW’s “Don’t Forget the Blues,” performances begin at 3 p.m. with the School of Rock, followed by the Guy Bouchie Band, the Shari Puorto Band, Mama Moon & the Rump Shakers, the Daryl Davis Band, and the Sue Foley Band.
The Silver Spring Blues All-Star Jam, led by Daryl Davis and featuring Sue Foley, closes out the festival.
The Silver Spring Blues Festival will be held at 920 Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring and is free to attend. More information and a full festival lineup is available online at silverspringblues.com.
Photo: “Daniel Pearl World Music Days DSCF8682” by U.S. Embassy Jerusalem is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
