The Waterfront Blues Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland drew large crowds on Saturday afternoon, bustling with energy as attendees enjoyed a vibrant atmosphere filled with music, food, and drinks.
Festival-goers lined up for refreshing vodka drinks, White Claws, and even personalized bobble head dolls, creating an engaging experience for everyone involved.
Shade seekers congregated under trees while the lawn, usually a territory for geese, transformed into a lively setting adorned with low lawn chairs and picnic blankets.
On stage, local musicians delivered a spirited tribute to the legendary Etta James, captivating the audience with their performances.
Amy Keys, one of the featured singers, expressed her delight in performing against the picturesque backdrop of the Willamette River.
“It was nice and breezy up there,” she remarked, sharing her positive impressions of the new, more compact festival format, which has transitioned to a shorter two-day schedule this year.
This adaptation stems from the ongoing challenges many music festivals face post-COVID pandemic, including slower audience returns and rising costs.
In past years, the festival extended over four days, but this year featured only two days of programming, providing an intimate experience with a single main stage and a side stage for uninterrupted performances.
Keys, who attended the festival for the third time, noted the benefits of the streamlined format.
“It’s really fun, having the one stage, because we get to really hear everything,” she explained, contrasting it with the previous setup where festival-goers often felt they were missing out on acts.
Feedback from attendees echoed Keys’ sentiments as Jimmy Thompson and Alvin McGee made the trip from Seattle to enjoy both days of the festival.
While it was Thompson’s first experience at the event, McGee, a long-time visitor, celebrated nearly 20 years of attending.
“It’s always been a great festival,” he stated, acknowledging that even though the event has become smaller, the quality remains high.
Thompson and McGee, both originally from Mississippi, underscored their deep connection to the blues music that the festival celebrates.
As they explained, the genre runs in their veins and feels like home.
Others in attendance, like Amen Celalem, a Portland State University student, showcased a mix of musical backgrounds.
Though she admits not being a regular blues listener, she shared her growing interest stemming from attending performances with friends, especially after watching ‘Sinners.’
Overall, the festival’s atmosphere was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees reveling in their shared love of music despite their varied reasons for being there.
While the smaller size did not deter enjoyment, some guests, including McGee, voiced hopes that the festival will continue to thrive without further reductions in scale.
“I hope it continues,” he asserted. “Because it’s always been a nice event to come to. We’ve always had good musicians.”
After the festival, attendees like McGee planned to extend their enjoyment with activities around Portland, showing that the festival fosters not only music appreciation but also community spirit.
“We just enjoy a good weekend of blues and good food and sun and the nice people in Portland,” he added, highlighting the local atmosphere as another crucial element of the festival experience.
image source from：oregonlive
