Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival

The African American Cultural Center is pleased to present the first Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival on September 28-30 at the August Wilson Center and outdoors on Liberty Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh. Poised to attract regional and national audiences, the Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival will feature music, workshops, lectures, free concerts by local and emerging artists, plus ticketed performances featuring nationally and internationally renowned blues artists.

 

 

Volunteer at the AWC

September 28-30, 2018
Buy Tickets Recommend

Friday Schedule

 

8:00pm  – Taste of Blues Party

 

Blues and BBQ will fill the August Wilson Center to kick off the 2018 Highmark Blues & Heritage Festival during the inaugural TASTE OF BLUES PARTY. Throughout the party, local restaurants will provide BBQ inspired samplings of their best dishes. Local and nationally recognized blues musicians will take the stages for intimate and exciting performances to kick off the festival.

VALET parking will be available.

Please note: Must be 21+ years old to attend.

BUY TICKETS

PERFORMANCES BY:

Rev. Shawn Amos
Deva Mahal
Mwenso & the Shakes
Teeny Tucker
New Breed Brass Band
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Jerron”Blind Boy” Paxton
Lyndsey Smith & Soul Distribution
DJ Selecta
DJ Nate Da Phat Barber

 

RESTAURANTS:

Braddock’s
Peach Smoked Skuna Bay Salmon with Espresso Barbecue Sauce
Eddie Merlot’s
Confit BBQ chicken slider with smoke infused aioli
Fogo De Chao
Tomato Bruschetta
Signature Cut the Picanha (Prime Sirloin)
Pineapple and Citrus Marinated Chicken on the grill
A519 Chocolate
Signature Truffles
Blume Honey Water
Blume Honey Water Blueberry
Pirata
BBQ Jerk Shrimp with Jicama Pineapple Salsa
Vallozzi’s
Pulled Pork Cannoli
Market Street Grocery
Samgyeopsal Shooters
Korean BBQ Pork Belly & Kimchi
Capital Grill
BBQ Grilled Filet Medallions; Double Chocolate Cookies
Double Wide Grill
Wood Grilled BBQ Ribs with Carolina Sauce
Walters
Bridges and Bourbon

Saturday Schedule

11:30am to 7:15pm – Outdoor stages with FREE performances

11:30aM-12pM Afro American Music Institute

12PM-12:30pM Stevee Wellons

12:30PM-1pM The Billy Price Band

1PM-1:30PM New Breed Brass Band

1:30PM-2pM Lyndsey Smith

2PM-2:45pM Teeny Tucker

2:45PM-3:30pM Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

3:30PM-4:15pM Deva Mahal

 

4:30pm to 7:15pm – Indoor stages with FREE performances

4:30PM- 5:15PM Rev. Shawn Amos

5:30PM-6:15PM Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton

6:30PM-7:15PM Mwenso & The Shakes

 

8:00pm – Bettye LaVette

Three time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette is no mere singer. She is not a song writer, nor is she a “cover” artist. She is an interpreter of the highest order.

PURCHASE Bettye Lavette Tickets

Blues & Heritage JAM SESSION AFTER PARTY

…At 9:00PM, the party continues at the official Blues & Heritage JAM SESSION AFTER PARTY at Revel near Market Square.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AFTER PARTY ⫸

Sunday Schedule

 
 

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – John Scofield GUITAR CLINIC

AWC Multipurpose Room
All ages
FREE
FREE Scofield Clinic Tickets

 
 

4:00 pm – Sweet Honey in the Rock

Sweet Honey In The Rock® is a performance ensemble rooted in African American history and culture. The ensemble educates, entertains and empowers its audience and community through the dynamic vehicles of a cappella singing and American Sign Language interpretation for the Deaf and hearing impaired.

Sweet Honey in the Rock Tickets

 

 

8:00 pm – John Scofield

John Scofield’s guitar work has influenced jazz since the late 70’s and is going strong today. Possessor of a very distinctive sound and stylistic diversity, Scofield is a masterful jazz improviser whose music generally falls somewhere between post-bop, funk edged jazz, and R & B.

John Scofield Tickets

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING

In celebration of Wilson’s legacy, we are working with Pittsburgh Playwright’s Theater Company in an exclusive production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the first play in Wilson’s American Century Cycle. This special production, directed by Mark Clayton Southers, will feature Vanessa German as Ma Rainey and runs September 14- Oct. 1,2018 at Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Company.

[ CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ]

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – LIL JUKE JOINT

AWC Multipurpose Room
Suitable for ages 8 and under
FREE

The Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival presents Lil Juke Joint! This one-hour class is dedicated to providing a well-rounded Blues experience to our youngest music fans. Suitable to ages 8 and under, this course will focus on developing interest in Blues music as well as teaching the fundamentals of the genre. Musicians and educators will provide a brief background of the Blues, complete with plenty of examples, performances, and audience participation.

 
 

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – DEVA MAHAL IN CONVERSATION

AWC CAFE Multipurpose Room
ALL AGES
FREE
 
 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton in Conversation

AWC Café
All ages
FREE EVENT

 

 

BLUES 101

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – BLUES 101

AWC Multipurpose Room
All ages
FREE

Blues 101 is a one-hour educational experience will provide a deeper look into the history of the Blues by exploring persistent themes such as travel and “The Crossroads”. Participants will also learn about notable men and women of the Blues, traditional instrument techniques, and the many ways that the Blues transcended a musical genre and became a true reflection of life.