Briggs Farm Blues Festival is an annual event that takes place near Hazleton, Pennsylvania in the town of Nescopeck, Nescopeck Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania^[1] since the summer of 1998. The festival is hosted every July^[2] on the farmland owned by the Briggs family.

Briggs Farm offers concertgoers a weekend of blues, camping, southern-style barbequed food, and an informal atmosphere. In 2014, more than 6,000 people attended the festival.^[3]

History

The Briggs Farm Blues Festival was initiated in 1998 by Richard Briggs on a farm which had been in his family since 1768.^[4] After working as a TV producer later in life, Richard decided to use his skills to produce a blues festival.^[5] Since then the festival has grown and expanded each year, and draws attendees from all over the United States and around the world gathering to hear Delta-style blues.^[6]

In 2015 the festival presented mainly blues-rock on the main stage. The Back Porch stage presented a mix of local, regional and national blues musicians.^[4][7]

Camping

Many attendees at the Briggs Farm Blues Festival stay in the campground which is set up near the main stage, at the edge of cornfields, or in a wooded area. The campground accommodates RVs, trailers, and tents. Camping allows people to stay throughout the weekend and to meet other blues music enthusiasts.^[8]

Program

• 1998 – Big Jack Johnson, BC & The Blues Crew, Frank Grace and the Detonators, Sting Ray's Blues Band, Krypton City Blues Revue
• 1999 – E.C. Scott, Lonnie Shields, Tom Larsen, Melissa Reaves, Little Red Rooster, Frank Grace & The Detonators
• 2000 – Johnny Rawls, Melissa Reaves, Harper, Peter Tork
• 2001 – Eddie Kirkland, Eddie King, Blind Mississippi Morris, B. C. & The Blues Crew, The Midnight Blues
• 2002 – Phil Guy, Osee Anderson, Dave Riley, Deb Callahan, Lonnie Shields, Harper, Sting Ray
• 2003 – Lil’Dave Thompson, Mary Taylor, Tom Larsen, Clarence Spady, Christine Santelli, Magic Red & The VooDoo Tribe
• 2004 – Sonny Rhodes, Joanna Connor, Harper, Clarence Spady, Wolfe, Little Budd
• 2005 – Big Jack Johnson, Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Dave Riley, Kelly Richey, Clarence Spady, Krypton City Blues Revue, Nate Myers & The Aces, Sarah Ayers Band, Magic Red & The VooDoo Tribe
• 2006 – Sam “Bluzman” Taylor, Sharrie Williams, Lightnin’ Malcolm, Collin John Band, Cornlickers, Deb Callahan, Christopher Dean Band
• 2007 – Big Jack Johnson, Alexis P. Suter Band, Harper, Lonnie Shields, “Big T.” Williams, Paul Mark & The Van Dorens, Lefty Williams
• 2008 – Big George Brock, Nora Jean Bruso, Johnny Rawls, Clarence Spady, Bobby Kyle, Colin John & Michael Hill, Kelly Richey, Sarah Ayers Band, Lonnie Shields, Bret Alexander, Mikey Jr., Mark Armstrong
• 2009 – Louisiana Red, Joey Gilmore, Teeny Tucker, Johnny Drummer & The Starliters, Alexis P. Suter, Tom Larsen, Scott Weis Band, BC & Company, Lonnie Shields, Nate Myers, Mitch Ivanoff
• 2010 – Louisiana Red, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Mississippi Heat, Mac Arnold, John Primer, Moreland & Arbuckle, Clarence Spady, Harper, Deb Callahan, Lonnie Shields, Terry "Harmonica" Bean
• 2011 – Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones, Eddie Shaw & the Wolf Gang, Teeny Tucker, Alexis P. Suter Band, James Armstrong, Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, Lonnie Shields, Eli Cook
• 2012 – Jesse Loewy^[9]

References