North Central Florida Blues Society

Advance prices are $13 for General admission. NCFBS members should reach out to the Society for a discount code.

The North Central Florida Blues Society is an affiliate of the Blues Foundation, which holds the International Blues Challenge every year in Memphis. As an affiliate, the North Central Florida Blues Society holds a regional competition, which allows for a winning band, solo/duo, and self-produced CD to compete as a representative of the North Central Florida region in the IBC in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee in the Beale Street Historic District.

The NCFBS has been represented in Memphis since 2008. Four different NCFBS acts have advanced to the Semifinals. 21 Blue and Sauce Boss made the Finals for Best Self-Produced CD. Which acts will be next? Who will take the prize and represent North Central Florida?

Support your favorite Blues artist or discover your new favorite!

The categories the acts  for solo/duo and band will be judged on (set by the Blues Foundation in Memphis) are:

Blues Content, Originality, Vocals, Instrumental Talent, and Stage Presence.

Blues Content is the highest weighted category, followed by Originality.

Did you know that there are TWO fantastic Blues Festivals in Florida in October?

The Forgotten Music Festival is October 10-11, 2026 in Port St. Joe, Florida. Its lineup this year has a MASSIVE Saturday that includes Corey Hall & The Misplaced Ramblers, Selwyn Birchwood, and the Bridget Kelly Band. Brandon Santini closes their Sunday lineup. Visit https://www.forgottenmusicfestival.com/ for tickets.

UPDATE: Sadly, Forgotten Music Festival producers announced on October 6 that this year’s festival is cancelled due to weather concerns. 

Camping with the Blues is held October 16-18, 2026 at Florida Sand Music Ranch (85 Myers Road, Brooksville, FL 34602). This year’s talented lineup includes Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones, Dottie Kelly & Rock the House, Sandy Atkinson, Johnny Rawls, and other great artists. Tickets at https://www.campingwiththeblues.com/

On September 19, 2026 the inaugural North Central Florida Blues Festival was born, and co-presenters the North Central Florida Blues Society and Heartwood Soundstage bring to Gainesville, Florida and Alachua County a new, exciting all-day Blues Festival.  To continue this as an annual event, sponsorship would be greatly appreciated.

Sponsorship of the North Central Florida Blues Festival offers an opportunity to connect your brand with a vibrant celebration of music, culture, and community.  As this is the inaugural year, being involved in sponsorship gets you in from the birth of this event, reaching an audience and connecting your brand’s visibility with community goodwill.  As this festival grows, so will your audience.

This festival’s lineup of performers is curated by professionals with decades of experience in live music, and a vision for musical expression. These performers include national touring artists and regional Florida favorites.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the North Central Florida Blues Festival should reach out to the North Central Florida Blues Society at rob@ncfblues.org.

Registration deadline for the Blues Challenge (to be held on October 11 at Heartwood Soundstage) has been extended to Friday, September 25, so do not miss out on this opportunity!  Please contact rob@ncfblues.org for rules and questions, and clarify if you need rules for solo/duo (1-2 performers), band (3 or more performers), or Self-Produced CD.