Gorge Blues and Brews 2022
GORGE BLUES & BREWS FESTIVAL IN STEVENSON, WASHINGTON RETURNS FROM PANDEMIC!
Mark your calendars now for Friday and Saturday, June 24-25, when Gorge Blues & Brews Festival hits the Skamania County Fairgrounds in Stevenson. The festival will celebrate 29 years of showcasing musical genius, 35 local craft brew taps, three local wineries, one distillery and mouthwatering food in the spectacular setting of the Columbia River Gorge.
Start your weekend off right on Friday night when all things local are featured from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Walking Man Brewery, Backwoods Brewing, Thunder Island Brewing and eight other local breweries will be pouring their tasty brews. There will be a nice selection of local wine, whiskey tastings and cocktails. Tons of great food including tacos, barbecue, gyros, pizza by the slice and crab cakes will make the festival tasty. World renowned blues artists will fill two stages all weekend. Admission is $5 for Friday and comes with a souvenir glass. Saturday tickets are good for Friday AND Saturday, come with a glass and some drink tokens. Camping is available on site so plan to come early and stay late.
The music starts at 2, and finishes with gritty blues by Too Slim & the Taildraggers from Spokane. The music will be non-stop on both stages until we are forced to halt the music at 10 p.m.
Put on your blues shoes and revel in continuous live blues music filling the air. This year’s line-up is beyond impressive. The music will flow between Riverview Community Bank’s main stage and the Big River Grill stage Saturday featuring Too Slim & the Taildraggers, Coyote Kings w/ Tiphony Dames, Stacy Jones Band, Stevie & the Blue Flames, Michelle D’Amour & the Love Dealers, Seth Myzel Band and Robin Gibson Band. Friday we’ll have Johnny Wheels & the Swamp Donkeys, Mark Hurwitz and Gin Creek, and the local Big River Blues Band.
Admission is open to those 21 years and over only on both Friday and Saturday, no minors will be allowed on the festival grounds. The cost for admission on Saturday presale is $22 per person and includes a souvenir glass and two drink tokens, $25 at the gate. Our campers pass is $32 presale, $35 at the gate, and comes with a souvenir glass and four drink tokens. Additional drink tokens are $6 each, and are good for beer, wine, cocktails and whiskey tasting flights. Cash or card will be accepted at the gate. Purchase your tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line and we’ll pay the sales tax! Go to www.gorgeblues.com and click on Tickets. No coolers or dogs on the event site, please.
Make your festival experience all the more memorable by staying at a local hotel or campground. Please visit www.gorgeblues.com/lodging for lodging options.
“It’s really exciting for us to be organizing such a great local event” says Rusty Hoyle, organizer and president of Craft Nation. “We visit Stevenson at least once a week, we really love it here, and we’re stoked to continue the local tradition.” Volunteers are still needed – go to gorgeblues.com, click the volunteer link and pick your shift. Volunteer positions include pouring beer or wine or cashiering and gain you free admission, two drink tokens, a souvenir glass and undying gratitude from the organizing committee. Last shift volunteers get special perks with the event staff.
Contact us on our Gorge Blues & Brews Facebook page for questions. For camping information, call Skamania County General Services at 509-427-3980. We look forward to seeing you in the most scenic venue in the Gorge, the Skamania County Fairgrounds, 650 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson, this June 24-25!
