Thirty-one blues acts will perform at the 9th annual Kent Blues Fest, slated to take place at 23 venues in downtown Kent on Friday, July 14. Admission to the shows is free.

This year’s lineup includes Daryl Rowland, who has played with Johnny Winter, B.B. King, Ray Baily, Louisiana Red and Mickey Champion, local favorites Armstrong Bearcat [pictured] and harmonica phenomenon Jarred Goldweber.

Organizers boast that the festival will feature “definitive blues, jam bands, soulful voices and a variety of classic blues instrumentation with artists showcasing their talents to an excited crowd that has the unique privilege of free ‘venue hopping’ all in one night.”

For more information, visit kentbluesfest.com or call Main Street Kent at 330-677-8000. Festival hours are 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

This article appears in Jun 21-27, 2017.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.