Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival mainstage performances take place at Fort Worden’s McCurdy Pavilion.

August 2-3, 2013, Centrum presents the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, the largest gathering of country blues west of the Mississippi. Led by Artistic Director Daryl Davis, the Festival turns the Victorian seaport and arts community of Port Townsend into the summer destination for the blues.

The lineup of mainstage and club performers includes Gaye Adegbalola, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, Rich Del Grosso, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Grant Dermody, Eleanor Ellis, Leroy Etienne, Andra Faye, Dom Flemons, Mary Flower, Billy Flynn, Chase Garrett, Boo Hanks, Michael Harris, Jake Heck, Angela Hill, Orville Johnson, Arthur Migliazza, Dean Mueller, Jon Parry, Jerron Paxton, Del Rey, Caitlin Romtvedt, Lauren Sheehan, Tim Sparks, Jay Summerour, Clay Swafford, Elijah Wald, Lightnin’ Wells, Warner Williams, Phil Wiggins and Maria Woodford.

The Festival’s mainstage shows take place at Fort Worden State Park’s McCurdy Pavilion—a renovated WWI-era balloon hangar that has been converted into a 1,200-seat performance hall. Smaller, more intimate performances will take place in Port Townsend’s intimate downtown clubs and restaurants. The mainstage and club performances serve as the public capstone to a weeklong blues workshop attended by 225 blues participants from all over the country.

“Acoustic blues, also called traditional, pre-war or country blues is the original music of rural African-Americans that originated in the Southern USA in the 1920’s and 1930’s,” said Centrum blues program manager Mary Hilts. “Traditional blues honors the commonality of the human spirit and shares its sorrow and its joy. Centrum is honored to present musicians who are keeping the country blues traditions alive. We have flown them in from across the country to share with you the heritage of traditional blues.”

“The acoustic blues tradition is as American as apple pie,” said Centrum executive director Robert Birman. “No destination in the country offers as much diversity or wealth of talent on one stage as will be represented at our Saturday afternoon, August 3rd Blues Showcase at McCurdy Pavilion. In addition, our Friday and Saturday night club dates downtown are the epitome of integrity and authenticity. It’s all at our doorstep in Port Townsend this week only. I hope to see you with us!”

Visit Centrum’s blues website for complete performance and workshop information.

Jazz Port Townsend mainstage performances take place at Fort Worden’s McCurdy Pavilion.

Centrum – the national arts nonprofit located at Fort Worden State Park – presents Jazz Port Townsend July 25-27, 2013 . Washington’s  largest summer jazz festival, Jazz Port Townsend will be headlined in 2013 by such internationally renowned musicians as Anat Cohen, Wycliffe Gordon, and Artistic Director John Clayton – turning  the Victorian seaport and arts community of Port Townsend into an incredible summer jazz scene.

Mainstage shows take place at Fort Worden State Park’s McCurdy Pavilion—a renovated WWI-era balloon hangar converted into a 1,200-seat performance hall. Smaller, more intimate shows take place in Port Townsend’s downtown restaurants and clubs.

The lineup of mainstage and club performers includes such artists as Clarence Acox, Cyrille Aimee, Dan Balmer, George Cables, Obed Calvaire, Dave Captein, Gerald Clayton, Jeff Clayton, John Clayton, Dawn Clement, Anat Cohen, Chuck Deardorf, Diego Figueiredo, Wycliffe Gordon, Randy Halberstadt, Jon Hamar, Jeff Hamilton, Stefon Harris, Gary Hobbs, Jeff Johnson, Joe LaBarbera, Kelly MacNayr, Julian McDonough, Thomas Marriott, Rene Marie, Dave Peck, Travis Ranney, Joe Sanders, Vern Sielert, Bria Skonberg, Gary Smulyan, Terell Stafford, Chris Symer, Mark Taylor, Jay Thomas, Byron Vannoy, Sachal Vasandani, Eric Verlinde, Laura Welland, Jiggs Whigam, Rodney Whitaker, Anthony Wilson, and Matt Wilson.

The mainstage and club performances serve as the public capstone to the weeklong jazz workshop attended by 225 jazz students of all ages from all over the country.

“Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend festival rivals any major assembly of jazz musicians in the world,” said Centrum executive director Robert Birman. “The camaraderie, stellar talent and love of Port Townsend pervade every performance. We are excited to feature two of the fastest rising women in jazz, Anat Cohen and Bria Skonberg, on one ticket on Friday, June 26. That will be an event not to be missed. In addition, we have a big band salute to Quincy Jones and top shelf arrangers and performers at every event this summer. I tip my hat to John Clayton and his colleagues who dedicate so much to making Port Townsend’s jazz week one of the best of the year, every year.”

Jazz Port Townsend is produced with support from the National Endowment for the Arts; Washington State Parks; the Washington State Arts Commission; Harris, Mericle & Wakayama; Subway; AllState; Edward Jones; WESTAF; and Wilder Auto, as well as media sponsors KPLU and KPTZ.

To Order Tickets visit www.centrum.org; call Centrum at 800.746.1982 or visit the Centrum office at Fort Worden State Parkfrom noon until 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Tickets are also available at the box office beginning one hour before each show.

Downtown Port Townsend will rock with all-ages free concerts on Thursdays July 11th through August 29th at the Pope Marine Park/City Dock Civic Plaza.

This music on the waterfront is sponsored by Wilder Auto of Port Angeles, Kitsap Credit Union, The Peninsula Daily News, local businesses, the Port Townsend Main Street Program, and the City of Port Townsend.

A Beer/Wine & Cider Garden and local vendors add to the festive atmosphere.

THE 2013 PORT TOWNSEND MAIN STREET CONCERTS ON THE DOCK LINEUP

July 11th The Better Half
Stage Sponsor: Quimper Mercantile
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: All About Escrow

July 19th The Solvents, backed by Aardvark with The Pitfalls
Stage Sponsor: First Federal
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: Middletown Pinbar

July 25th Locust Street Taxi
Stage Sponsor: SOS Printing
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: Sport Townsend

August 1st Buck Ellard with Steel Madronas

August 8th Ranger and The Re-Arrangers
Stage sponsor: The Blue Moose
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: Subway

August 15th Toolshed Trio
Stage Sponsor: The Wooden Boat Festival
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: Getables

August 22nd Off The Hook

August 29th Emerging Artists Night & DJ Dance Party!
Stage Sponsor: KPTZ 91.9 FM
Beer/Wine & Cider Garden Sponsor: Schodowski Law

The Port Townsend Main Street Program’s 2013 Concerts on the Dock poster features original art by Rose Soini of Chimacum. The work was created by making hand-cut paper patterns. SOS Printing designed the poster.