Catalina Island Blues Festival September 26, 2008

Catalina Island is gearing up for a full weekend of musical entertainment when the Catalina Island Blues Festival returns to Avalon. Featuring headliners Johnny Lang and Buddy Guy for a special concert in the world famous Casino Ballroom, the festival invites visitors to enjoy a complete line-up of the best in blues.

The island comes alive Friday with the ever-popular Blues Walk, throughout Avalon. Many of the local hot spots and night clubs will feature various artists performing the blues late into the night. Visitors can stroll through town from location to location, enjoying the lights of harbor, the clean ocean breeze, and the hot sounds of music in the air.

The festival continues Saturday afternoon in the center of town at Crescent Street and Metropole Avenue with a free outdoor concert featuring more exciting music in the beauty of downtown Avalon. Local restaurants and Catalina's quaint shopping district will also welcome guests in friendly island style.

The headline entertainment begins in the Casino ballroom at 7 p.m. with the dual bill of Johnny Lang and Buddy Guy. Taking the historic stage of this most unique art deco setting, these giants of the blues scene will entertain the crowd for four fantastic hours of the best blues music in the world, in an intimate venue the seats just over 1,000 people!

The Catalina Island Blues Festival comes to a close Sunday with a free concert at the Descanso Beach Club, Blues on the Beach with Michael John and the Bottomline. The concert begins with an opening band at noon and the main act starting at 1:30 p.m.until 5 p.m. in front of the gorgeous seaside backdrop of ocean waves and shimmering sand.

Tickets for the Sat. night concert are $75-$150, all other performances are free to the public.

Official Website: http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/index_old.php