Northwoods Blues Festival at Heartwood

The first ever Northwoods Blues Festival was held in July 2012 at Heartwood Conference Center & Retreat at the beautiful Trego resort in a green area used as a soccer field, a natural bowl with one large hill on the east and a low rise on the west providing an excellent outdoor venue.

Nearly 1,000 attended the festival even though it was on the Saturday of the Spooner Rodeo, the only available date at the time. But those lucky few found themselves treated to six awesome acts in one unforgettable weekend of down and dirty blues performances.

The second Northwoods Blues Festival at Heartwood is scheduled over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26, and instead of six acts it will feature eight, with four performing each day, including two regional acts and two national acts.

Day one, May 25, Howard “Guitar” Luedtek and Blue Max, returning acts from 2012, open at 2 p.m., followed at 4 p.m. by Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys with special guest West Andy (also a returning act). Then Christ Beard performs at 6 p.m. and headliner Joe Louis Walker at 8 p.m.

Day two, May 26, The Rhythm Roosters, a Twin Cities act, opens at 6 p.m. followed by Mojo Lemon, then Kenny Neal from Cajun country (another returning act), and then Ana Popovic.  

Northwoods Blues Festival promoters Jack Hemming of Hayward and  Jim Downey of Spooner said because of the buzz from the first festival it was much easier to book acts for the second.

Another change is that there will be on-site parking and some on-site camping, as well.  “Last year we had people parking off-site, and we had to bus them to the festival,” said Hemming. “This year they can park on-site, and I think that will really increase attendance and the enjoyment.”

All of Heartwood’s facilities will be solely dedicated to the festival. Those who book a night of lodging are also given tickets to the festival.