One of Sarasota, Bradenton's biggest annual music festivals permanently canceled

As we head into the biggest weekend of the year for live events in Sarasota and Manatee counties, one of the region's longest running music festivals has been permanently canceled.

The Bradenton Blues Festival, which debuted on the Riverwalk in 2012 and took place there again this past December, will not return. Realize Bradenton, the nonprofit organization that has produced each of the festivals, issued a statement on Wednesday (Feb. 14).

"Following the 2023 Bradenton Blues Festival, we conducted a thorough analysis of the event," said Andrea Knies, director of communications & community engagement, in an email. "With thoughtful consideration to the mission and goals, we have made the decision to discontinue the Blues Festival in 2024."

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Bradenton Blues Festival, which debuted in 2012, permanently canceled

The Bradenton Blues Festival took place annually in December and typically attracted a capacity crowd of about 3,000 with the roster for each year's event usually announced in March.

Johnette Isham, the founding director of Realize Bradenton also co-founded the Blues Festival, which she attended each year with her husband, Jeffrey Plunkett, who died in May 2022. Isham retired in October 2022 as director of Realize Bradenton and passed away last summer.

Realize Bradenton plans to offer the community a new event beginning next year.

"We are exploring options for a new event, likely in spring of 2025, and are excited about the possibilities of bringing people together in new and different ways," Knies said. "Stay tuned for updates."

Sarasota and Bradenton now both without a major blues festival

The similar Sarasota Blues Festival was started in 1991 by the Sarasota Blues Society and became a regional hit under the guidance of Sarasota-based concert producer Barbara Strauss, who took over the festival in 1993 and ran it until 2010.

For more than two decades people flocked to the Sarasota Blues Fest to see performances by the likes of Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy and Trombone Shorty. The festival was held at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds and then moved to the Ed Smith Stadium Complex in 2005 where it remained through 2012. After changing owners, though, the festival ended.

Bradenton Area River Regatta, featuring live music, is this weekend

This weekend, the Riverwalk hosts the ninth annual Bradenton Area River Regatta. The festivities kick off Friday at 7:15 p.m. with the Sky Elements Drone Light Show and a 7:30 p.m. free concert by a Fleetwood Mac tribute band at the Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion stage, where the Bradenton Blues Festival was held.

The powerboat races begin at 1 p.m. Saturday (test runs should start around 10:30 a.m.) with live music on both sides of the river, including a Taylor Swift tribute act at 3:45 on the Palmetto main stage. For more information, visit bradentonarearegatta.com

Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton Blues Festival on Riverwalk has been permanently canceled