Waterfront Blues Festival returns July 2-4, 2026 with a lineup spanning five continents and six decades, performing for three days across three stages
PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Waterfront Blues Festival, joyfully returning to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Downtown Portland, July 2-4, 2026, unveiled a lineup that proves the blues is more present than you think. This year’s festival brings together voices from Ethiopia, Peru, Canada, London, New Orleans, and Portland’s own underground—all carrying the DNA of the blues in completely different forms.
The 2026 lineup includes The Revivalists, Durand Jones & The Indications, Tank and The Bangas, Cymande, Hailu Mergia, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Seratones, Toody Cole and Her Band, Glitterfox and dozens more acts showing how the blues moves across genres, borders, and decades.
The initial festival lineup is live, and tickets are now available at early bird pricing at Waterfront Blues Festival.
In a new programming partnership for the festival, True West, one of the PNW’s leading independent concert producers and the team behind PDX LIVE, has curated this year’s lineup in collaboration with longtime Festival Artistic Director Peter Dammann.
“Waterfront Blues Festival has evolved over the years into this unique musical story of how the blues crosses genres and turns up in surprising places. In working with True West, it was awesome to see their take on Latin artists like The Point, Fernando Viciconte, and Orquestra Pacífico Tropical and how they weave into the lineup,” says Dammann. “And it’s been fun to see True West excited about folks like Don Was, the legendary producer, bassist, composer and bandleader. We’ve wanted to bring him to the fest for years.”
“We were thrilled to get the call from the Blues Fest,” says Lori Hughes Killen, Senior Talent Buyer at True West. “When we started working with Peter and the Blues Fest Team, we reflected on the improvisational spirit of the blues, how it opens up space for the unexpected. Its influence shows up in Peruvian cumbia, in gritty Portland garage-soul, in London funk. This lineup isn’t about preservation. These are artists who don’t stick to the script. They collaborate, they take risks, they see where the moment takes them, and that’s really exciting.”
Highlights from the 2026 Waterfront Blues Festival Lineup include:
>> Chart toppers, Tiny Desk breakouts and powerhouse soul-rock from Louisiana: The Revivalists, Tank and The Bangas, Seratones.
>> World music for crate diggers and collectors: Cymande, Hailu Mergia, The Point.
>> Soul-revivalists preaching to the choir of the dance floor: Durand Jones & The Indications, The Psycodelics, Billy Allen + The Pollies, True Loves, Ural Thomas & The Pain.
>> Texas legend and local heroes of Americana: Alejandro Escovedo & The Electric Saints, Ashleigh Flynn & the Riveters, Jenny Don’t And The Spurs.
>> Punk icons for those that grew up in the Satyricon days: Toody Cole and Her Band, The Delines.
>> Family acts and chosen family bands: Judith Hill, Angelique Frances, Lo & The Steele Family Band, and Glitterfox.
Waterfront Blues Festival is a fully immersive festival experience, and in addition to three days and three stages full of music, the 2026 festival offers:
>> A family-friendly and multigenerational celebration: The festival welcomes fans of all ages with free entry for kids 12 and younger thanks to Buick GMC of Beaverton, and a dedicated family activities area ensuring a fun experience for the whole crew.
>> Strong community ties: Local food and drink in the Blues Bites food court, plus local vendors, artists and merchants through the festival grounds supporting Portland’s creative community and Downtown economy.
>> Spectacular Fourth of July Fireworks: The festival produces one of the best July 4th fireworks shows in the country, launched from a barge on the Willamette River, visible from all around the city, and choreographed to a vibrant musical soundtrack.
“Being independently owned and operated, along with support from the city, local businesses and the festival’s loyal fans allows us to build this festival for the community first,” said Festival Director Christina Fuller. “We can spotlight local artists and vendors while also welcoming major national and international talent, stay accessible for families while throwing a rockin’ Fourth of July party. Each year, the festival adapts and grows, while remaining committed to creating a truly unique celebration of music, culture, community, and our city.”
Music lovers can now purchase 1-Day Tickets (starting at $45) and 3-Day Passes (starting at $99), both available at GA and VIP tiers, at the year’s best early bird price at waterfrontbluesfest.com/tickets.
About Waterfront Blues Festival:
Waterfront Blues Festival is Downtown Portland’s Fourth of July weekend music festival. It is a cornerstone event of the Pacific Northwest and one of the country’s best fully independently owned and operated music festivals. For nearly four decades, Waterfront Blues Festival has welcomed legendary performers and rising stars spanning blues, soul, funk, folk, R&B, and Americana. As Downtown Portland’s largest and longest-running music festival and the host of Portland’s spectacular July 4th fireworks show, this celebration of music, culture, and community continues to evolve, inspire, and bring people together for an unparalleled summer experience that draws tens of thousands of music lovers to Portland each year.
Since 1988, Waterfront Blues Festival has raised over $10 million and given a platform to local community organizations—the benefiting charitable partners for the 2026 festival are Meals on Wheels People and The Jeremy Wilson Foundation Musician Health & Service Program.
For more information, visit www.waterfrontbluesfest.com.
Frances Dyer
Frances Dyer Communications LLC
frances@francesdyerpr.com
Visit us on social media:
Instagram
Facebook
Other
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
