General Information
KidzBeat
Activities and Events subject to change.
Join us Saturday from 1–5 pm where there are two tents staffed with musicians ready to nurture young musicians by offering hands-on experience on a variety of instruments, all free of charge.
Thanks to Marshall Music, budding rock/blues musicians can try playing electric bass and guitar under the guidance of knowledgeable and passionate professional musicians at North end of Turner Street.
MSU Community Music School offers an instrument petting zoo with woodwind and brass instruments at the North end of Turner Street.
Details are on the KidzBeat webpage.
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The Turnaround Lounge
The Turnaround Lounge is a prime location to enjoy music from the main stage and offers tables and seating. Admission to the Turnaround Lounge is $10, good for both days. We thank you in advance for this contribution to support the festival. Beverages cost $5 to $6 for a beer/wine ticket, and $2 for pop/water. The Turnaround Lounge is also the only festival vendor licensed to sell alcohol. Because of this, all entrants must show ID proving they are at least 21 years of age. Entry is now on the North side of Turner at Clinton.
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Share the Festival
Check in on Foursquare and Facebook! Share your experiences on Twitter and Instagram! @OldTownBlues – #OldTownBlues – facebook.com/OldTownBlues
Conveniently located for everyone
Click Image to see larger map.
The Michigan BluesFest takes place in the streets of Old Town Lansing, at the intersection of Turner St. and East Céasar E. Chávez Ave. (formerly E. Grand River Ave.) To be prepared for possible construction along your route to the festival, we suggest checking with MDOT for construction information.
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Parking
Handicapper-designated parking will be available on East Céasar E. Chávez Ave. (formerly E. Grand River Ave.) near Turner.
In addition, there is limited metered parking along East Céasar E. Chávez Ave. (formerly E. Grand River Ave.), free from 6 pm through the weekend. Free unmetered parking is available on streets surrounding the festival area, including the west side of Old Town (connected to the festival area by the Grand River bridge). Adjacent businesses may offer lot parking for a fee – look for signs.
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Bike to the Festival
Located along the scenic River Trail, bicycles are a great form of transportation to the Old Town BluesFest. Bike racks are available on East Céasar E. Chávez Ave. (formerly E. Grand River Ave.), Turner St., and around the corner north on Center St. Festival attendees are urged to lock their bikes securely to bike racks only, keeping their parked bikes out of designated walkways.
Don’t forget that state law requires a white headlight and red reflectors, visible to 600 feet, for after-dark bicycle riding. Festival staff strongly recommend wearing a helmet at all times and using a taillight.
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Our family and friends
These links will take you off the Old Town BluesFest web site. MICA (Michigan BluesFest’s parent organization) cannot be responsible for the content of sites it does not manage.
BluesFest producer:
Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art (MICA) – formerly Old Town Business and Art Development Association (Facebook, Twitter)
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Sister festival:
Key partners:
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Blues history:
Streaming blues:
Other blues festivals:
Michigan BluesFest is a proud member of the Greater Lansing Festival Alliance.