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.

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 on Friday, September 28. 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.

 

 

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September 28-30, 2018
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Highmark Blues and Heritage Festival

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.

 

Performers:

Revered Shawn Amos

Michael Mwenso & The Harlem Shakes

Teeny Tucker

New Breed Brass Band

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Blind Boy Jerron Paxton

Deva Mahal

 

Restaurants:

Vallozzi’s

Eddie Merlot’s

Pirata

Double Wide Grill

Braddock’s

Blume Honey Water

Saturday Schedule

1pm to 6pm – Outdoor stages with FREE performances

Revered Shawn Amos

Michael Mwenso & The Harlem Shakes

Teeny Tucker

New Breed Brass Band

Stevie Wellons 

The Billy Price Band

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Blind Boy Jerron Paxton

Lyndsey Smith

Deva Mahal

Afro American Music Institute Boys Choir

 

8pm – 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.

Bettye Lavette Tickets

Sunday Schedule

4pm – 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

 

8pm – 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