Trombone Shorty on stage at a previous Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon

Photos by Cheryl Landes

The 2020 Waterfront Blues Festival in downtown Portland, Oregon, cancelled because of COVID-19, but that hasn’t stopped the organizers and partner organizations from the Portland metro area from keeping the music alive. There are three ways to join the fun this year from your own home.

The Blues Fest Bandwagon

If you live in the Portland metro area, you can see live performances in your neighborhood from the Blues Fest Bandwagon July 3-4. The schedule isn’t posted on the website, so it will be a surprise when the bandwagon shows up.

Blues Fest Broadcast on KOIN-TV

From 9-11 p.m. Pacific time on July 4, KOIN-TV (Channel 6  in Portland) is broadcasting some of the most memorable shows from past Waterfront Blues Festivals. The broadcast ends with a 30-minute fireworks show from a previous festival. If you don’t live in the Portland metro area, you can stream the broadcast on koin.com.

Blues Fest on Air at KBOO 90.7

Listen to performances from audience favorites and behind-the-scenes stories from past Waterfront Blues Festivals July 4-5 from noon until 7 p.m. Pacific time on KBOO 90.7 FM. If you’re outside the Portland metro area, you can stream Blues Fest on Air from kboo.fm/listen-now.

The Waterfront Blues Festival is the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi River.

Shemekia Copeland sings at a previous Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon

The 2021 Waterfront Blues Festival is scheduled July 2-5 at the Portland waterfront.