North Central Florida Blues Society

On September 19, the inaugural North Central Florida Blues Festival is 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.

The lineup for North Central Florida Blues Festival includes many award-winning acts: Doug MacLeod, EG Kight, Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones, Sheba the Mississippi Queen & the Bluesmen, the Josh Miller Blues Revue, JC & the Backscratchers, JW Gilmore, and Dr. Jules’ Cool Blues, providing a mix of national touring acts and Florida Blues favorites.

One aspect that sets this Blues Festival apart is that four acts will play the outdoor stage at Heartwood Soundstage, and four acts play inside the famous Heartwood Soundstage listening room. Doors open at 2, the music starts at 3 pm, and eight fantastic Blues acts play until 10:45.

Gainesville and Alachua County has a historical link to Blues music, and the North Central Florida Blues Society and Heartwood Soundstage plan to build on that history with this festival.

General Admission & VIP Tickets Available. Please contact the Society for a discount code for NCFBS members for General Admission tickets.

VIP Tickets Include:

Reserved premium seating in the listening room

A commemorative poster signed by festival performers

An NCFBS t-shirt

One complimentary drink ticket good for a house wine or draft beer

Advance tickets at: https://www.heartwoodsoundstage.com/shows/north-central-florida-blues-festival-19-sep

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 2026 Regional Blues Challenge for the NCFBS will be held on Sunday, October 11 at Heartwood Soundstage in Gainesville, FL.

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!

Registration deadline is September 19, 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.

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.

On September 19, 2026 the inaugural North Central Florida Blues Festival is 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.

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.