The Bradenton Blues Festival is held at the award-winning Riverwalk Event Pavilion, overlooking the Manatee River in historic downtown Bradenton, Florida. The Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile park featuring a skatepark, outdoor living rooms, a fishing pier, a boat dock, public art, a beach volleyball court, and more!
This is a Sellout Festival!
Buy your tickets before planning your trip! The festival has sold out every year: tickets to the 2017 and 2018 festivals sold out weeks before Thanksgiving and the 2019 festival sold out before Halloween! Due to the unique location of the festival and brunch, and for the safety and enjoyment of all attendees, there are a limited number of tickets available.
Festival Address
The festival address is 452 3rd Ave. W Bradenton, FL 34205.
Bradenton Blues Fest Weekend
The Bradenton Blues Festival Weekend kicks-off on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, and ends on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019.Friday, Dec. 6, 2019
The free "Blues Appetizer" Concert is on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, from 6–9 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019
The main event kicks-off at 10am Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, with an outstanding lineup of talented blues musicians on the big stage. In addition to amazing music, our award-winning annual festival features local craft beer, delicious specialty food vendors, and more. The party continues with blues after-parties happening all evening. Purchase your Bradenton Blues Fest tickets here.Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019
The weekend wraps up with a tasty and soulful Bradenton Blues Brunch Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., at Mattison's City Grille Bradenton Riverwalk. The Blues Brunch is a separately-ticketed event. Purchase your Blues Brunch ticket here. Come and experience the blues in Bradenton!Where Is Bradenton?
The Bradenton Blues Festival and "Blues Appetizer" Concert are held in downtown Bradenton, FL, USA.

Bradenton is located on the west coast of Florida, just 8 miles east of the white sandy beaches of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, 10 miles north of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, 40 miles south of the Tampa International Airport, 115 miles southwest of Orlando, and 240 miles northwest of Miami.
Where Is The Festival?
The Bradenton Blues Festival is held at the award-winning Bradenton Riverwalk overlooking the historic Manatee River.
The festival address is 452 3rd Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205.
Where Is The Brunch?
The Bradenton Blues Brunch is held at Mattison's City Grille Bradenton Riverwalk.
The brunch address is 101 Riverfront Blvd., Bradenton, FL 34205.
The festival is produced by Realize Bradenton, a nonprofit organization that brings people together to create a vibrant and prosperous downtown area for residents, visitors, and businesses.
The proceeds from the Bradenton Blues Festival support Realize Bradenton’s youth, art, and music programs that are free to the community, including our Blues in the Schools program.
Friday: "Blues Appetizer" Concert
Tickets are not required for the Blues Appetizer concert on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019. Enjoy the blues for free!Saturday: Bradenton Blues Festival
Tickets are required for the Bradenton Blues Festival on Dec. 7, 2019. Online pre-event ticket sales are:- Reserved Seating, with a padded chair provided, in front of the stage tickets — $115 each
- General Admission Adult tickets — $45 each
- Students (with valid student ID) — $20 each
- Children, ages 5 to 11 — $10 each
- Children under 4 — Free
- Click here to purchase tickets online
Sunday: Blues Brunch
Tickets are required for the Blues Brunch on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, and are $55. Ticket includes a seated and served, three-course brunch prepared by award-winning Chef Paul Mattison, and a live musical performance. Click here to purchase tickets.Kindly Note
Online ticket sales close at noon EST on Nov. 27, 2019 or when they are sold out. Sorry, there are no refunds. The festival and brunch will be rain or shine.Keeton’s Office & Art Supply
- 817 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton, FL 34205
- Phone: (800) 833-4735
Reserved Seating
Reserved Seating provides you with the best seat in the venue! You’ll be guaranteed a comfy seat in a private area in front of the main stage. No more lugging those heavy chairs from your car to the venue, or worrying about getting the perfect spot.General Admission
General Admission guarantees you access to the open, grassy lawn near the front and sides of the main stage on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis. You’re more than welcome to bring your blanket and collapsible chair. Please note that you may not leave chairs behind after the "Blues Appetizer" Concert to ‘reserve’ your space (unattended chairs will be removed).Yes, the festival is handicap accessible.
Handicap parking is available in all of the City of Bradenton public parking lots. A dedicated handicap entrance is located on 3rd Ave. W, just east of the railroad tracks. The main festival entrance on the Bradenton Riverwalk is also handicap accessible, and you have an amazing view of the Manatee River!
- Blankets
- Chairs
- Cameras
- Sunscreen
- A personal bag
- Medically-required items (crutches, wheelchair, medications, snacks, etc.)
- Outside food and drink, including alcohol
- Weapons of any kind
- Illegal drugs and/or drug paraphernalia
- Glass, metal, or plastic beverage/food containers
- Flasks
- Laser pointers
- Coolers
- Roller skates/blades, bikes, scooters, skateboards, and hoverboards
- Umbrellas, tents, and chairs with sun visors
- Pets of any kind (only service animals with appropriate credentials will be permitted; we kindly ask you to bring proper identification for your service animal).
Although we'd really like to meet your furry (or feathered) friends, please leave them at home.
Only service animals with appropriate credentials will be permitted. We kindly ask you to bring proper identification for your service animal.
- Wells Fargo Bank: 303 9th Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205
- SunTrust Bank: 1001 Third Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205
- BB&T Bank: 921 Manatee Ave West, Bradenton, FL 34205
Unpack your bags in a renovated Roaring 20s hotel, on your yacht at the marina, in a quaint bed and breakfast, or in a hotel just steps from the festival and Riverwalk.
Check out what there is to do in Bradenton, and where you can stay by clicking here.
Camping and RV parking is available, but not on the festival grounds.
For a list of RV and campsites, please visit the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website, or call (941) 729-9177.
Please complete our vendor application. We will contact you if selected.
We are currently not accepting bands for our upcoming festival.
If you would like to be considered for future events, please complete our online band application. Only bands listed on the online band application are selected, we do not select bands who email us.
We ask that you be courteous to other festival patrons and smoke in the designated area near the roundabout.
Please keep our park clean and place your ashes and butts in the ashtrays.
For more information about downtown Bradenton, visit RealizeBradenton.com.