Festival Fever: Saratoga Blues Celebration, 7/22-23/11

The Hats Off Music Festival isn’t the only free fest around town this weekend as Saratoga Springs celebrates the opening of the 2011 racing season on Friday.

The fourth annual Saratoga Blues Celebration takes over Stockade Oriental Rug Imports on Friday and Saturday, sponsored by the Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society. But the music isn’t all acoustic. in fact, Friday’s Celebration launch line-up is quite plugged in.

FRIDAY: (Mostly) Electric Blues Night

7pm: Mark Tolstrup
7:30pm: The Resonators featuring Will Smith
9pm: Jeff & Becky Walton
9:30pm: Rick & Sharon Bolton
10pm: Blues Jam with the Resonators, Will Smith, Dave Scheffel, more

Then on Saturday, the Celebration gets back to its raison d’etre – the old school acoustic blues of the 1920s and ’30s.

SATURDAY: Acoustic Blues Night

5:30pm: The Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society
5:45pm: Dave Scheffel with Ubuntu
6:05pm: John Sciolino
6:25pm: Ray Pashoukos
6:45pm: Bill Ackerbauer
7:10pm: Sonny Speed
7:30pm: 2 Lonesome
7:50pm: Gail Sparlin
8:10pm: Ray Giguere
8:35pm: Phil Drum
8:45pm: Rob Atkins
8:55pm: Phil Drum & Rob Atkins
9:15pm: Kyle Miller
9:35pm: Michael Eck
9:55pm: Tequila Mockingbirds
10:15pm: jam

MORE FESTIVALS ON THE SUMMER 2011 CALENDAR:

Hats Off Music Festival @ various locations, Saratoga Springs, July 22-23, FREE
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival @ Dodds Farm, Hillsdale, July 22-24
The Big Up @ Sunnyview Farm, Ghent, July 28-30
Bluestock Music Festival @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, August 26-28
Jazz at the Lake: Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George, September 17-18, FREE