Blues on the Fox, the free Blues festival hosted by the City of Aurora, Illinois, celebrates its 13th anniversary on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, as part of the summer-long Downtown Alive! Festival Series. The festival will take place at the intersection of Galena Boulevard and Stolp Avenue (“Blues Alley”) in downtown Aurora along the scenic Fox River.

Chicago Blues artist Big James & the Chicago Playboys kicks things off on Friday followed by Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, the Hix Brothers Junior All-Stars will kick off the day featuring young Aurora students of the Blues. Eight-time Blues Music Award-winning pianist Henry Butler will take the stage at 3 p.m. followed by Delta Groove recording artists Cedric Burnside & Lightnin` Malcolm. Next will be Grammy Award-winner, harmonica player Sugar Blue, followed by seventeen-time Blues Music Awards’ nominee Watermelon Slim & the Workers. Rounding out the Saturday lineup will be Grammy award-winning and World Music heroes Los Lobos. Performances end at 10 p.m. on both evenings.

Each year the City of Aurora celebrates the rich music history of the RCA Bluebird recordings that were made in the 1930s at the Leland Hotel in downtown Aurora. In the famous Sky Club, literally hundreds of songs were recorded by John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, Big Joe Williams, Roosevelt Sykes, Yank Rachell, and others. These recordings were groundbreaking and set the tone for the early urban Blues that later became so popular and formed the backbone for modern day Rock ‘n’ Roll. The Blues on the Fox festival commemorates these recordings.

The historic Aurora downtown acts as a very pleasant backdrop to the two-day festival that not only includes great music but fantastic food, icy libations, music vendors, and a relaxed atmosphere for the whole family to enjoy.

For more Blues on the Fox information, directions and artists’ biographies along with details on the complete Downtown Alive! Festival Series please visit bluesonthefoxaurora.com or call 630-844-4731