Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 283 Tuesday, April 7th, 2015 -- This week: Juke Joint 2015 -- Y’all it’s that’s time of year again (the weekend after Easter) in Clarksdale, Mississipp. Something exciting is happening in that dark, rich mud, which has been laid out over the landscape from millennia of annual flooding. That something is Juke Joint Festival ! See below for stages, venues, and related events. Live Canoe Carving Demonstration all weekend (Thursday through Saturday) street level at Quapaw Canoe Company, made possible by the Mississippi Arts Commission in conjunction with Spring Initiative and GRIOT Arts. We will also be offering canoeing, kayaking and paddle-boarding on the Sunflower River, and a special Sunday afternoon artist’s/naturalists retreat on the Mississippi River. See below for more information. BTW: Couldn’t make it to Juke Joint? Add Sunflower Blues Festival (Aug 6-9th) or Helena’s King Biscuit Blues Festival (Oct 7-10th) to your calendar, and then include an extra day or two to go paddling on the biggest river in North America, the Mighty Mississippi -- or the safari-like Sunflower River, the “River with the Blues” (which runs behind Red's, MLK park, Riverside Hotel, Hopson Plantation, Shack Up Inn, Dockery, Club Ebony, and Rolling Fork (Muddy Waters birthplace).
Transcript
Lower Mississippi River
Dispatch No. 283
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015
-- This week: Juke Joint 2015 --
Y’all it’s that’s time of year again (the weekend after Easter) in Clarksdale, Mississipp. Something exciting is happening in that dark, rich mud, which has been laid out over thelandscape from millennia of annual flooding. That something is Juke Joint Festival! See belowfor stages, venues, and related events. Live Canoe Carving Demonstration all weekend(Thursday through Saturday) street level at Quapaw Canoe Company, made possible by theMississippi Arts Commission in conjunction with Spring Initiative and GRIOT Arts. We willalso be offering canoeing, kayaking and paddle-boarding on the Sunflower River, and a specialSunday afternoon artist’s/naturalists retreat on the Mississippi River. See below for moreinformation.
BTW: Couldn’t make it to Juke Joint? Add Sunflower Blues Festival (Aug 6-9th) or Helena’sKing Biscuit Blues Festival (Oct 7-10th) to your calendar, and then include an extra day or twoto go paddling on the biggest river in North America, the Mighty Mississippi -- or the safari-likeSunflower River, the “River with the Blues” (which runs behind Red's, MLK park, RiversideHotel, Hopson Plantation, Shack Up Inn, Dockery, Club Ebony, and Rolling Fork (MuddyWaters birthplace).
-- Juke Joint Festival 2015: related events at Quapaw Canoe Company/GRIOT ARTS--
2015 we are partnering with GRIOT ARTS,
who are our good neighbors across the street.
Several of their youth participate
in our River Arts Youth Project!
Events Include:
Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop -- Griot Arts Building Open House -- ImprovTheater Workshop -- Paddling on the Sunflower River -- Griot Youth Rock Band -- SunflowerRiver Camping -- Griot Art Gallery -- 1Mississippi: Can the River Count on You? -- GRIOTand GREENS -- Sunday Daytrip on the Mighty Mississippi!
GRIOT/Quapaw Canoe Company
Activities During
2015 Juke Joint Festival April 9-12
Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop
Paddling on the Sunflower River
Sunflower River Camping
1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You?
GRIOT and GREENS
Sunday Daytrip on the Mighty Mississippi
All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9- 4pm every day Thursday April 14 – Saturday April 16, Mississippi River Daytrip 1pm - 7pmSunday April 12th. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 [email protected].
Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop
Quapaw Canoe Company
9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday
Location: Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, oppositeGRIOT Arts). Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. Catfish Dugout Canoe carving from 3-toncottonwood log. Partnership with Spring Initiative and GRIOT ARTS youth programs. Thisproject supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission. All ages welcome. We provideinstruction, tools and safety equipment. Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. Contact: Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected].
Paddling on the Sunflower River
Quapaw Canoe Company
9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday (Pick your time and stay out as long as you want)
Canoe or kayak or SUP. Paddle the beautiful (and muddy!) Sunflower River through downtownClarksdale with the “back-door view” of Red’s Lounge, The Riverside Hotel. Possible runthrough a Delta Wilderness with a take-out at Hopson Plantation. Meet Location: QuapawCanoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite Sarah’s Kitchen). Contact:662-627-4070 or 902-7841. See below for options & rates.
Quapaw Canoe Company will be hosting a public campground downtown for tents campers. Notrailers or RVs. No electric hookup. Porta-Johns and hot showers on location. Camp on grassysites along the banks of the Sunflower River! Easy access to downtown Clarksdale and all thestages and juke joints. Everything within walking distance! $25/tent/night for 2 people, $10each additional person/night. 2 night minimum. Bring your own tent and sleeping bags. Parking for 1 vehicle per tent. (You can find close by parking elsewhere). No open fires, butcamp stoves, hibachis or small personal-sized BBQ okay. No smoking (city ordinance in publicplaces). Contact: Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-1885. Quapaw Canoe Company662-627-4070 or [email protected].
1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You?
Quapaw Canoe Company
9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday
Ongoing Exhibit and Southern campaign headquarters for the 1Mississippi River CitizenProgram. Come on over and learn about how you can help protect and better the waters ofAmerica, our drinking water, swimming water & lifeblood of the nation. Become a RiverCitizen and join us in making the Mississippi River sparkle like the beautiful “Queen of Rivers”that she is.
GRIOT and GREENS (Saturday 11am-2pm)
Fresh greens collected and cooked by the youth involved in the GRIOT’s new Job TrainingProgram Meraki. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian options. Donations accepted, proceeds to go to support of the GRIOT Merakiprogram.
Sunday April 12th, Mississippi River Daytrip 1-7pm (Sunday Only)
Write [email protected] or call 662-902-7841 for reservation. Meet at 1pm at Quapawheadquarters 289 Sunflower Avenue in downtown Clarksdale gear up, and then shuttle toMontezuma Landing, which is directly above Friars Point. We’ll paddle by the beautiful warmlight of mid-day to Island 61 where we’ll make swim stop and watch the sun rotate over thewaters of Old Town Bend. Shortly thereafter we’ll follow the river downstream over the mainchannel of the Mississippi as it makes the turbulent escapade below Kangaroo Point. Aftersupper, we’ll push off into the shimmering waters of the river, the darkness of the boilshighlighted by shining whirl lines, boil lines, and low angle sun reflections. By the last light ofthe day we’ll paddle around Old Town Bend, and then silently slip in between Is. 62 and 63. Sometime around sunset we’ll cut into the channel below Island 63 and meet our shuttle driverEllis Coleman “Mr. Smooth Dancer” at Quapaw Landing. Write or call ahead to make your
reservation. $125/person includes guiding, outfitting and shuttle. Live music on boardfeaturing recording artist Zoe Sundra. Bring your musical instrument. Also on board watercolorpainter, Robin Whitfield and plant enthusiast/herbalist Lindsay Wilson (Sweet GumApothecary). Bring your sketchpad and pencils, pastels, or paints. Potluck Supper. Bring a loafof bread, a salad, a vegetarian entree, or a rack of ribs, to share. We’ll provide plates, silverware,tables & camp chairs, as well as coffee and teas. 662-627-4070 or [email protected].
Griot Arts Events: Friday April 10th:
Improv Theater Workshop For Students 7th-12th Grade 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Sheila Shotwellwill lead a fun theater workshop for any students interested.
Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.
Griot Arts Events: Saturday, April 11th
Griot Arts Building Open House 278 Sunflower Ave 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Please come byand Learn more about our after school arts program and our new job training program!www.griotarts.com.
Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.
Griot Art Gallery Open 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM 274 Sunflower Ave Join us to view localartists' work. Live Music in the afternoon. www.griotarts.com
Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.
Griot Greens - 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM - Stop by the Quapaw Canoe Co. parking lot on SunflowerAve for a treat from The Meraki Farm and see the fruit of the labor of the Griot's new JobTraining Program. Greens and Cornbread will be available during the lunch hours. ContactEmily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian Options. Donationsaccepted, proceeds go to support Griot and Meraki. www.griotarts.com
Griot Youth Rock Band will be performing in the Griot Art Gallery (274 Delta Ave) from 4:30to 5:30. Come by to see the future musicians of Clarksdale showcase their talents.
Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.
Intro: Beautiful paddling through downtown Clarksdale, and upstream & downstream as well. Re-discover Clarksdale from its main artery, the Sunflower River. Back-door view of riverbankblues places like Red’s Juke Joint and the historic Riverside Hotel. Get close to MississippiDelta Wildlife such as fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, song birds, birds of prey (mainly hawks &owls) wading birds & other waterfowl, occasional deer, possum, armadillos, raccoon & beaver. Flat water. Easy paddling. Guide service available. Do your own paddling & shuttling or wecan provide canoes, kayaks and shuttle service. See below.
5 paddling options on the Sunflower River:
1) Downtown Clarksdale “Back-Door Blues Shuffle & Turnaround” (1-3 miles): Start offdownstream under the Railroad Bridge and paddle behind Delta Hardware (Charlie MusselwhiteCD), Ground Zero Blues Club, Red’s Juke Joint, Martin Luther King Park, the Riverside Hotel(where Bessie Smith died in 1937), and make a u-turn under the Blues Highway 61. Paddleback. Flexible timing, you decide how fast you want to paddle, and how soon you want to turnaround. Leave from Sunflower Landing (behind Quapaw Canoe Company).
2) Downtown Parks & Wilderness (1-3 miles): Paddle upstream behind City Hall, aroundSoldier’s Field and enter the rich Cypress forest hidden along the banks of the river. You willbe amazed by the variety of wildlife in this thriving floodplain ecosystem. Commonly seen areegrets, great blue herons, red eared turtles, mississippi map turtle, needlenose gar, redshouldered hawk, beaver and river otter. Paddle up to the Duckwalk Park and make turnaroundfor a leisurely paddle back downstream. Leave from Sunflower Landing (behind QuapawCanoe Company).
3) Clark Park to Sunflower Landing (3 miles) Leisurely 3 mile paddle into downtownClarksdale through some of the woods & neighborhoods north of town. Owls & beavers. Paddle through the cypress, oaks & sycamores of the Duck Walk. You’ve never seen downtownuntil you’ve seen it from the river! Put-in at Clark Park (Lee Drive & Friars Point Road). Takeout at Sunflower Landing (Public Parking just downstream of 2nd Street Bridge). Shuttleavailable.
4) Clover Hill to Sunflower Landing (10 miles) 3-4 hours of paddling. Wild &remote-feeling. Great views of Coahoma County as it used to look. Paddle through woods &fields for miles and not see anyone. No people or buildings until you get close to Clarksdale. Lots of deer, ducks, owls, hawks, and migrating birds. Put in at bridge near Clover Hill. (turnoff Friars Point Road at Kenoy’s and go East half mile on Farrell-Eagle’s Nest Road. Park onSE side of the 2nd Bridge. Put in below bridge. Take out at Sunflower Landing (Public Parkingjust downstream of 2nd Street Bridge)
5) Sunflower Landing to Hopson (6 miles) 2-3 hours of paddling. Leave downtownClarksdale and paddle under the Railroad Bridge behind Delta Wholesale Hardware, Red’s JukeJoint, the Riverside Hotel, 61 Highway – you will see why the Sunflower River has the blues! The river alternates between short narrow passages with clogged channels through submergedtrees and long pools bordered by big trees and wide fields. The banks are thick with hawks,owls & deer. Put in Sunflower Landing
(Public Parking just downstream of 2nd Street Bridge). Take out at Hopson Bridge
Rental & Shuttle Rates
Canoe Rental Half Day: $35/canoe with paddles & life jackets for 2 people
Canoe Rental Full Day: $70/canoe with paddles & life jackets for 2 people
Kayak or SUP Rental: $35/person/trip with paddle & life jacket
Shuttle Rates (per person with canoes & kayaks):
Sunflower Landing – Clark Park: $15
Sunflower Landing – Clover Hill: $25
Sunflower Landing – Hopson: $25
20% off for Friends of the Sunflower River in current good standing!!!
Who Are the Friends of the Sunflower River?
Friends of the Sunflower River is all about appreciating and caring for the lonely little river thatwinds its way through the center of the Mississippi Delta, from Friars Point to Clarksdale, fromMound Bayou & Merigold to Sunflower; from Indianola to Anguilla, from Holly Bluff toVicksburg.
This river has the blues! Besides the many blues & gospel musicians who were born & baptizedalong its banks, its mussel shell beds (which are reported to be the richest such biota in theworld) seem to be in constant danger of overzealous engineering. The Sunflower River has beenneglected and over-worked; so much that it was proclaimed America’s “Most EndangeredRiver” in 2003.
The good news is that its forests constitute the largest bottomland hardwood forests in theNational Forest system (they also produce the highest carbon-sequestration of any forests inNorth America!), and its banks are home to every creature winged, webbed or otherwise, foundnative to the Mississippi Delta. It’s a beautiful place to get away, to reflect a moment on therivers and woods of America, to walk along its banks, to paddle its waters, to enjoy its scenery. Most importantly, its home to all of us who live on or near its banks, and second home to manyothers who love it from a distance. Shouldn’t we be taking better care of our lonely muddyriver?
Physical Description: The Sunflower River is born in the bayous and lakes of NorthernCoahoma County and meanders South some 250 miles through the Yazoo/Mississippi Delta
Coahoma County and meanders South some 250 miles through the Yazoo/Mississippi Deltaparalleling the Mississippi River on the West and the Yazoo on the East, (with which itconfluences with 10 miles above Vicksburg). A small but dynamic river, once forested, nowmostly bordered by fields, the Sunflower is a rich habitat for all creatures native to the region,including black bear and panther. Its muddy current averages 2100 cfs (cubic feet per second) atSunflower, 3461 at the mouth of Bogue Phalia, and approximately 4500 where it empties intothe Yazoo River at Steele Bayou. Its drainage includes most or all of Coahoma, Bolivar,Sunflower, Washington, Sharkey & Issaquena Counties, some 3,689 square miles, inhabited by169,150 people.
Cultural/Historical Mélange: In its journey through the Delta, the Sunflower winds through thelayers of mud and history that gave the world its first great blues singer (Charlie Patton, DockeryPlantation), the first mechanized cotton picker (Hopson Plantation), its oldest African-Americanfounded community (Mound Bayou), rural Civil Rights era leaders (Fanny Lou Hamer,Sunflower County; Aaron Henry, Clarksdale), the Teddy Bear (Delta National Forest), King ofthe Chicago Blues (Muddy Waters, born in Rolling Fork, lived 25 years at Stovall) and therenowned ambassador of the blues (B.B. King, Indianola). The Rev. C.L. Franklin (Aretha’sFather) is just one of many who were baptized in her muddy waters. Bessie Smith died at theG.T. Thomas Hospital which sits on her banks in Clarksdale (now the Riverside Hotel). Todayyou can hear live blues along the river at juke joints Red’s and Sarah’s Kitchen. Legendarywoodsman, Holt Collier (1846-1936), who cornered the Teddy Bear, reported its waters to runclear & clean, and Roosevelt started each day of the hunt with a cold-water swim. One of ourlong-term objectives is to make the waters safe once again for fishing and swimming.
Canoe Outfitting & Guiding 101 - University of Monroe - May 2-3, 2015
Always wanted to start your own canoe/kayak river business and didn’t know how or where tostart? This 2-day workshop is for you! For details and enrollment please go to: https://webservices.ulm.edu/ce/content/canoe-outfitting-guiding-101
Title: Canoe Outfitting & Guiding 101: A 2-Day Primer for Starting Your Own Small Businessas Canoe Guide and Rental Service
Description: Learn the ins and outs of starting a small business dedicated to canoe livery andoutfitting. Learn to safely guide canoeists through our local bayous, rivers and lakes forsupplemental income. Introductory workshop lightly covering the many challenges andopportunities for a nature tourism business. This class will set the stage for for how to makeyour dream job come true. This two-day class is ideal for the person who loves the greatoutdoors and wants to share that enthusiasm with others. Half indoor classroom, half outdoors. Participants will know by the end of workshop whether or not to pursue this kind of business,and how and where to proceed if they so desire. No previous canoe experience required, butmust be comfortable in water settings. Most aspects of this program are applicable to kayaksand paddleboards also.
Quapaw Canoe Company is offering space in our big canoes for 2015 Bluz Cruz, a 22-mile raceending up on the Yazoo River in downtown Vicksburg. One of the great races along the LowerMississippi River! Begins at 8:00 am April 11th at Madison Parish Port, LA, and ends inVicksburg, MS at the river front. The race fee will go to support the Service Over SelfOrganization. You can of course paddle your own canoe or kayak. But if you want to join 10others in an unforgettable team experience, try the big canoe! The Big Canoe offering includesregistration and everything you’ll need in the canoe for the day. For signup go to:http://www.bluzcruz.com/quapaw.htm.
For more information about Bluz Cruz, please go to: http://www.bluzcruz.com/
-- Juke Joint 2015 --
VENUES
JUKE JOINTS
Go to http://www.jukejointfestival.com for full schedule and useful information!
Red's Lounge
Corner of Sunflower & MLK Dr.
Red's Lounge? It's the definition of a real-deal Mississippi juke joint. Don't expect to be spoiledwith amenities. All you need is a been-there-done-that owner, some beers as big as your headand some "live" blues you'll never forget. (Oh, and MAYBE something out front on the grill.)This is how blues became blues... how the music grew up out of the cotton fields and onto around piece of vinyl. Speaking of which, the building itself was called "Levine's Music Center"back in the day, and it's where Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm bought the instruments thatplayed the first rock 'n roll song. Yeah, Red's is the real thing for sure...
Messenger's
133 MLK Dr.
This historic club, pool hall and cafe has been in continuous operation -- and in the same family-- since the 1930s. Alan Lomax even included it on his map of Clarksdale in 1941 (and FiskUniversity even documented the songs on the jukebox then). Since last year's Juke Joint Festivaldebut, Messenger's has featured "live" blues shows by Jimbo Mathus, Wesley Jefferson, and
Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Bandr. Actor Samuel L. Jackson even showed up one night and caughtmusician Robert Belfour's performance! Look for the new sign out front and come on in forwarm smiles and tall cool ones.
Delta Blues Room
220 Sunflower Avenue
The Delta Blues Room is so nice that it's almost a shame to call it a juke joint. The owners run asmooth establishment. From the matching tables and chairs to the fine blues artwork on thewalls, this is a classy blues joint through and through. Past performers here have included BigGeorge Brock, Super Chikan, Big T, John Horton, Mississippi Slim and others. Oh... and the hotwings (and the shrimp and burgers for that matter) are excellent!
Delta Amusement Cafe
348 Delta Avenue
The Delta Amusement Cafe is... uh, well... a "scene"! Great greasy food, bigger-life-characters,occasional music and the kind of place where you can pour your own cup of coffee (and bring inyour friendly dog). Past performers here have included Jimbo Mathus, Jacqueline Nassar, Josh"Razorblade" Stewart, Marshall Drew and Terry "Harmonica" Bean. The cafe is definitely theplace for breakfast, by the way. Delta Amusement cooks up superb delta soul food, freshcrawfish boil, and has ice cold beer, larger-than-life-characters, live music . . .
Ground Zero Blues Club
0 Blues Alley
Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music everyWednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actorMorgan Freeman, attorney Bill Luckett and music agent Howard Stovall, Ground Zero BluesClub will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible localblues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hartto Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there. For more information, logon to www.groundzerobluesclub.com.
Hopson Commissary
1 Commissary Road
Home of the old Hopson Plantation and the current Shackup Inn, Hopson Commissary is acombination museum and music venue that has to be seen to be believed. Pinetop Perkins drovea tractor out at Hopson in the 40s, and it was also home to the first mechanical cotton picker.
"Hambone Art Gallery", Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,betweenMadidi's and Theo's Rock and Roll Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by CharlieConerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was theold Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Bothblues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer formany roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical,but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Objectpieces. " web stanstreet.com ph. 662- 253-5586 [email protected]
Stone Pony Pizza
226 Delta Avenue
Open 11am til..662.624.PONY (7669) www.stoneponypizza.com Stone Pony Pizza is excited tobring to the Mississippi Delta an eclectic mix of atmosphere. A building that has been inClarksdale since 1912, we have renovated and brought this great building back to its historicbeginnings. We offer five flat screen televisions for your enjoyment, Wi-Fi accessibility and apictorial history of Clarksdale and many of its colorful residents. With Journey Baker, MatthewJoseph, we offer not only a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy, but homemade, hand-tossed pizzathat will make your mouth water. Come, join us and enjoy a wonderful night in Clarksdale,Mississippi.
Hopson Commissary-Back Porch
1 Commissary Circle
Bluesberry Cafe
235 Yazoo Avenue
Blues Berry Cafe 1st place winners 2007 Jubliee BBQ Cook Off Past Preformers, Malted MilkBand,Lala ,Incode, Super Chikan and The Fighting Cocks,Heavy Suga,Razor Blade,Shake itLike A Caveman,The Blind Ducks,Jeff Lewis,and many more. Good Food,Good Music,GoodDrinks, = Good Times
Juke Joint Chapel (Shack Up Inn)
1 Commissary Road
New, old-style venue at the world-famous Shackup Inn and Cotton Gin Inn.
Ex-beauty parlor and 2nd smallest juke in fest. Features musical stylings of Mr. Tater onSundays.
Hick's BBQ & Tamales
305 South State Street
World-famous member of the "Delta Tamale Trail" features a spacious music room.
Pete's Grill
550 Sunflower Avenue
LIVE BLUES TBA. Night time music venue with $10.00 wrist band.
New Roxy
357 Issaquena Avenue
The New Roxy is a former movie theater located in the Historic New World District ofClarksdale Mississippi. Renovation began in 2008 after sitting vacant and deteriorating since themid 1980’s. What remains physically is a shell of the former theater…. a sloping concrete floor,masonry stage, distressed yet beautiful brick walls, a gorgeous view of the night sky and afabulous feeling that can only be understood when you stand inside. Renovations have included abar area, and a new roof over the stage in 2010. We are currently open only for special eventswhich often feature live blues music. Come join us as we try to recapture some of the rich historyand culture of this once vibrant and important neighborhood in the heart of the Delta. Open April13-16 during the 2011 Juke Joint Festival. We will be featuring live music throughout theweekend. Cold beer, iced coffee, lemonade and snacks available. [email protected] 206-622-1850
Oxbow Restaurant
316 John Lee Hooker Lane
NEW LOCATION! Located in downtown Clarksdale, Oxbow Restaurant is a uniquely designedplace to unwind and enjoy food that you might not expect in the Mississippi Delta. Chef Haydenworked in the kitchens of world famous chefs before returning home 4 years ago with his wifeErica to cook for his hometown and its visitors. Oxbow is regionally famed for their Tuna Tacosbut have many other exciting dishes on the menu. 662-627-6781. We look forward to feedingyou at our new location! Enter from John Lee Hooker Lane (Yazoo extended) OR Third Streetentrance from parking lot. Service is fast casual, first come/first serve, seat yourselfestablishment. Open Monday-Friday 11am-2pm and Juke Joint Saturday 11am-9pm
The newest kid on the block, located on the corner of Delta ave. and Blues Alley, 'now howdown home is dat'. Equipped with a street side bar open daily with pool tables, games, flatscreen viewing , juke box jams and Ice cold beer and beverages, giving you that local feel onlyClarksdale can provide. Then once you go thru the 'big hole in da wall' and fade to black, its anunexpected experience with a dance floor, tables, booths, a separate bar and grill for yourenjoyment and newly added mainstage for your entertainment. Local radio station disc jockeysplay the grooves nightly and blues icons and other artist perform live @ Delta Blues Alley Caféblues lounge. Local legends and up incoming stars like Robert Bilbro Walker, David Kimbroughand the Kimbrough Family, Cops by day, blues in the heat of the night, Otis TCB Taylor andmain stage band, and Rickey Burton and all soul band, plus many more have graced our stageand are scheduled for upcoming events. Also coming Soon, the Saturday Night Fish Fry withJaka Sherrie from one of the longest running blues program in the Mississippi Delta with livebroadcast on Delta Force 3 radio and Bluesday 2'sday with live bands every Tuesday Night, andcouple 2 for 1 admission and specials. Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge welcomes you to theplace where hard times and struggle fell in love, and the blues was born.
The Holy Moly
301 Issaquena Avenue
The Holy Moly, an old Masonic Temple in the centre of the Historic Downtown Blues precinctof Clarksdale , Mississippi, is now a revitalised building. Listed on the National Register ofhistoric buildings, it was purchased by an Australian couple in 2012, empty, and unused. In thelast two years, four living/working spaces for artists/musicians have been established on theground floor, together with " The Holy Moly Drug Store ," an ice cream/coffee lounge /beverage bar. The second floor revitalisation work at The Holy Moly has just been completed,and the floor plan lends itself to more creative endeavours. It incorporates a theater space formusic/film and story telling, an event room with a commercial kitchen, an office with full livingfacilities, a meeting room, and a green room with living facilities. The unusual floor plan hasbeen retained and recycled to suit and accommodate groups of people for workshops, leisureeducation , and cultural activities. The second floor of The Holy Moly will be open for the firsttime over the Juke Joint Festival 2015 , as a night time concert venue on the Saturday night,from 7-10 pm as well as a venue for the Juke Joint Jam Academy from 3- 5pm on Saturday.Carla Maxwell and Adrian Kosky invite you to explore the future possibilities for the revitalisedsecond floor of The Holy Moly . They welcome your feedback, support , and encouragement onhow to best use it in the future. Please email your suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].
Delta Blues Alley Café-Backroom Stage 352
The newest kid on the block, located on the corner of Delta ave. and Blues Alley, 'now howdown home is dat'. Equipped with a street side bar open daily with pool tables, games, flatscreen viewing , juke box jams and Ice cold beer and beverages, giving you that local feel onlyClarksdale can provide. Then once you go thru the 'big hole in da wall' and fade to black, its anunexpected experience with a dance floor, tables, booths, a separate bar and grill for yourenjoyment and newly added mainstage for your entertainment. Local radio station disc jockeys
play the grooves nightly and blues icons and other artist perform live @ Delta Blues Alley Caféblues lounge. Local legends and up incoming stars like Robert Bilbro Walker, David Kimbroughand the Kimbrough Family, Cops by day, blues in the heat of the night, Otis TCB Taylor andmain stage band, and Rickey Burton and all soul band, plus many more have graced our stageand are scheduled for upcoming events. Also coming Soon, the Saturday Night Fish Fry withJaka Sherrie from one of the longest running blues program in the Mississippi Delta with livebroadcast on Delta Force 3 radio and Bluesday 2'sday with live bands every Tuesday Night, andcouple 2 for 1 admission and specials. Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge welcomes you to theplace where hard times and struggle fell in love, and the blues was born.
STAGES
Rock & Blues Museum Stage
100 block East 2nd Street
Paramount Marquee Stage
200 block of Yazoo Avenue
Delta Avenue Park
200 block of Delta Avenue
This event staging area is dedicated to the memory of the late Wert Cooper -- a downtownbusiness owner and Clarksale cheerleader who is very missed.
Mr. Tater Memorial Stage
350 Issaquena
Delta Blues Museum
1 Blues Alley
Main, outdoor stage at the Delta Blues Museum
Miss Del's General Store
145 Delta Avenue
Check out this fun and festival general store and take home gifts of food, books, clothes,antiques, bath & body and more! It's a one-of-a-kind store that could only exist in aone-of-a-kind place like Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Cat Head Stage
252 Delta Avenue
Delta Furniture Stage
238 Issaquenna
Hopson Commissary Stage
Hopson Pantation
Sunflower Avenue Gazebo Stage
Stone Pony Tack Room
226 Delta Avenue
OTHER
Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
252 Delta Avenue
Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk art is a store, a stage, a record label, a clearinghouse ofinformation and a state of mind. Cat Head specializes in all things blues and folk art. Atwww.cathead.biz, there is a web site that offers a taste of their wares plus "Live Music" and"Clarksdale Guide" pages. During festival events, FREE "live" music is often offered out frontas well... including Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and all day Sunday during the Juke Festweekend.
Greyhound Bus Station
300 Issaquena Avenue
Visit the historical Greyhound Bus Station (circa 1930) in Downtown Clarksdale at 3rd andIsaqueena. Clarksdale Revitalization, a visitor information center, has maps, schedules, and areainformation to make your travels easy. Many transportation and community posters andhistorical photos are on display. And ... the coffee pot is always on! 662-621-8004.
The one and only Delta Blues Museum opened in 1979. It houses a variety of vintage guitars andother blues artifacts, including the remnants of blues great Muddy Waters' Clarksdale home.Featured exhibits for the festival are "Charlie Musselwhite: Son of Mississippi - Citizen of theWorld" and "The American Delta". For more information, log on atwww.deltabluesmuseum.org or call 662-627-6820. Museum hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday -Saturday.
Clarksdale Passenger's Station
Blues Alley
Carnegie Public Library
114 Delta Avenue
Delta Cinema
11 Third Street
Located at 11 Third Street our local Delta Cinema will be showing documentaries during ourfestival. One seat on Sat., April 12th is included in the Juke Joint Festival's $15 wristband price.Showing on Sunday, April 13th as well.
Quapaw Canoe Company
289 Sunflower Avenue
GRIOT/Quapaw Canoe Company Activities During 2015 Juke Joint Festival April 9-12Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop Paddling on the Sunflower River Sunflower RiverCamping 1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? GRIOT and GREENS Sunday Daytripon the Mighty Mississippi All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower indowntown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 14 – Saturday April 16,Mississippi River Daytrip 1pm - 7pm Sunday April 12th. For more information contact QuapawCanoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected]. Canoe-Carving Demonstration &Workshop Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Location: QuapawCanoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite GRIOT Arts). Contact:662-627-4070 or 902-7841. Catfish Dugout Canoe carving from 3-ton cottonwood log.Partnership with Spring Initiative and GRIOT ARTS youth programs. This project supported bythe Mississippi Arts Commission. All ages welcome. We provide instruction, tools and safetyequipment. Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. Contact: Quapaw CanoeCompany 662-627-4070 or [email protected]. Paddling on the Sunflower River QuapawCanoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday (Pick your time and stay out as long asyou want) Canoe or kayak or SUP. Paddle the beautiful (and muddy!) Sunflower River throughdowntown Clarksdale with the “back-door view” of Red’s Lounge, The Riverside Hotel.Possible run through a Delta Wilderness with a take-out at Hopson Plantation. Meet Location:Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite Sarah’s Kitchen).
Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. See below for options & rates. Sunflower River CampingQuapaw Canoe Company Wednesday - Sunday Quapaw Canoe Company will be hosting apublic campground downtown for tents campers. No trailers or RVs. Porta-Johns and hotshowers on location. Camp on grassy sites along the banks of the Sunflower River! Easy accessto downtown Clarksdale and all the stages and juke joints. Everything within walking distance!$25/tent/night for 2 people, $10 each additional person/night. Bring your own tent and sleepingbags. Parking for 1 vehicle per tent. (You can find close by parking elsewhere). Contact: Mark“River” Peoples 662-902-1885. Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 [email protected]. 1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? Quapaw Canoe Company 9
am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Ongoing Exhibit and Southern campaign headquarters for the1Mississippi River Citizen Program. Come on over and learn about how you can help protectand better the waters of America, our drinking water, swimming water & lifeblood of the nation.Become a River Citizen and join us in making the Mississippi River sparkle like the beautiful“Queen of Rivers” that she is. GRIOT and GREENS (Saturday 11am-2pm) Fresh greenscollected and cooked by the youth involved in the GRIOT’s new Job Training Program Meraki.Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian options.Donations accepted, proceeds to go to support of the GRIOT Meraki program. Sunday April12th, Mississippi River Daytrip 1-7pm (Sunday Only) Write [email protected] or call662-902-7841 for reservation. Meet at 1pm at Quapaw headquarters 289 Sunflower Avenue indowntown Clarksdale gear up, and then shuttle to Montezuma Landing, which is directly aboveFriars Point. We’ll paddle by the beautiful warm light of mid-day to Island 61 where we’ll makeswim srtop and watch the sun rotate over the waters of Old Town Bend. Shortly thereafter we’llfollow the river downstream over the main channel of the Mississippi as it makes the turbulentescapade below Kangaroo Point. After supper, we’ll push off into the shimmering waters of theriver, the darkness of the boils highlighted by shining whirl lines, boil lines, and low angle sunreflections. By the last light of the day we’ll paddle around Old Town Bend, and then silentlyslip in between Is. 62 and 63. Sometime around sunset we’ll cut into the channel below Island 63and meet our shuttle driver Ellis Coleman “Mr. Smooth Dancer” at Quapaw Landing. Call aheadto make your reservation. $125/person includes guiding, outfitting and shuttle. Live music onboard! Potluck Supper. Bring a loaf of bread, a salad, or a rack of ribs to share. 662-627-4070 [email protected].
Care Station
John Lee Hooker Lane
Clarksdale Revitalization
Corner of Third and Issaquena
Located inside the historic Greyhound Bus Station, Clarksdale Revitalization, a visitorinformation center, has maps, schedules, and area information to make your travels easy. Manytransportation and community posters and historical photos are on display. And ... the coffee potis always on! 662-621-8004
Located on the corner of Issaquena and MLK in the historic New World District, Ooo So PrettyFlowers boasts a wide variety of flowers and gifts for every occasion. Open from 9:00 am untilthe last customer leaves the building. Brighten someones day with flowers or promote citybeautification by purchasing a Makin' Clarksdale Ooo So Pretty T-Shirt for $15. [email protected]
WROX Museum
257 Delta Avenue
Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday - Friday, during festival times. Clarksdale's Historialsite of WROX radio station from 1946-1954. Personal collection of artifacts and recordings ofEarly Wright. Other WROX and Clarksdale memorabilia.
The Bank
2nd & Yazoo, downtown.
Rock & Blues Museum
113 East 2nd Street
Six rooms of display and over 100 artist exhibits. Blues, rock, rockabilly and country musicmemorabilia -- including many rare records, photos and more. "Live" entertainment is alsoplanned for out front. 901-605-8662 www.blues2rock.com
Regions Bank Juke Joint Festival Parade
Downtown Clarksdale
Starting from Regions Bank 211 East Second Street and traveling around downtown Clarksdale.
Aaron Cotton Company
311 Delta Avenue
Bus Shuttle
Ride our "Blues Bus" shuttle between our official Juke Joint Festival nighttime venues!FESTIVAL WRISTBAND REQUIRED. Bus shuttles start out at hotels (& Expo RV park)around 8pm, and then rotate for the rest of the evening between the clubs and juke joints. (Runstill roughly 1am... but don't miss the last bus, please.)
Classic Clarksdale movie and performance theater. Main cinema (there are two) features a liveperformance stage. Juke Joint Festival features a kick-off concert event on this Delta CinemaStage every year on the Thursday evening prior to the fest itself. This venue provides a veryspecial visual and listening arena for extra special shows such as the musical "Mosquitoville"(2010) and the North Mississippi String Band (2011). These events are purposely planned forearly evening to avoid conflicts with live, nighttime blues at the jukes. Also, plan to arrive earlyfor free lobby music and a poster signing with artist Cristen Barnard (6pm).
Delta Creations
Visit our new location at the corner of Second and Delta Avenue. Our expanded space hasopened the door to have many new vendors. Our vendors have booth space filled with items tosatisfy all your decorating or gift needs! Stop in and browse our new showroom!
Art Exhibit-123 EAST SECOND
123 EAST SECOND
Our community art exhibit begins at 10 am till 5 pm. Exhibiting works from local elementary,junior high, high school and college students.
Delta Avenue
Shack Up Inn
Comfort Inn
818 S. State Street
Ranchero
1907 N. State Street (Hwy 161)
Writing Exhibit-123 EAST SECOND
123 EAST SECOND
NEW LOCATION FOR 2015-THE BANK BUILDING LOCATED AT 123 EAST SECONDSTREET. Our winning entries will be displayed for you to enjoy. A CELEBRATION OFCHANGE is the theme of these essays, personal narratives, song lyrics or poems. Students from
grades 4th thru 12 as well as our college students write. The power of music is transformative.Music can change a mood, a person, a society, or even the world. The Blues reflect real life, andthus reflect the changes we experience in our own lives, whether they are sudden or slow, tragicor triumphant. Celebrate change – and write about it!
Soldier's Field
Located at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Cypress Avenue. (on the banks of the SunflowerRiver)
