Lower River Dispatch No. 284 Juke Joint 2015 (Update!) Friday, April 10th, 2015

-- This week: Juke Joint 2015! --

Y’all it’s that’s time of year again (the weekend after Easter) in Clarksdale, Mississipp. Something exciting is happening in that dark, rich mud, which has been laid out over the landscape from millennia of annual flooding. That something is Juke Joint Festival! See below for stages, venues, and related events. Live Canoe Carving Demonstration all weekend (Thursday through Saturday) street level at Quapaw Canoe Company, made possible by the Mississippi Arts Commission in conjunction with Spring Initiative and GRIOT Arts. We will also be offering canoeing, kayaking and paddle-boarding on the Sunflower River, and a special Sunday afternoon artist’s/naturalists retreat on the Mississippi River. See below for more information. BTW: Couldn’t make it to Juke Joint? Add Sunflower Festival (Aug 6-9th), Greenville's Delta Blues Festival (Sept 19th), Mighty Mississippi River Festival (Oct 2-4th), or Helena’s King Biscuit Blues Festival (Oct 7-10th) to your calendar, and then include an extra day or two to go paddling on the biggest river in North America, the Mighty Mississippi -- or the safari-like Sunflower River, the “River with the Blues” (which runs behind Red's, MLK park, Riverside Hotel, Hopson Plantation, Shack Up Inn, Dockery, Club Ebony, and Rolling Fork ( birthplace).

Please Note Update: Sunflower River Camping

Wednesday - Sunday, April 8-12th

Quapaw Canoe Company is offering Bathroom and shower access to persons camping along banks of Sunflower River in the City Park around our facility and in other places downtown. Bathroom and shower access is $25/tent/night for 2 people, $10 each additional person/night. Proceeds generated will be donated to GRIOT Arts youth program. Please don’t park on asphalt drive which the police use for access. Camping is in grassy areas of City Park to north of ramp, and any flat grassy places down along the river. Please don’t block gravel road access to Canoe Company. No open fires, but camp stoves, hibachis or small personal-sized BBQ okay. No smoking (city ordinance in public places). For more information contact: Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-1885. Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

-- Juke Joint Festival 2015: related events at Quapaw Canoe Company/GRIOT ARTS--

2015 we are partnering with GRIOT ARTS, who are our good neighbors across the street. Several of their youth participate in our River Arts Youth Project!

Events Include:

Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop -- Griot Arts Building Open House -- Improv Theater Workshop -- Paddling on the Sunflower River -- Griot Youth Rock Band -- Sunflower River Camping -- Griot Art Gallery -- 1Mississippi: Can the River Count on You? -- GRIOT and GREENS -- Sunday Daytrip on the Mighty Mississippi!

GRIOT/Quapaw Canoe Company Activities During 2015 Juke Joint Festival April 9-12

Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop Paddling on the Sunflower River Sunflower River Camping 1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? GRIOT and GREENS Sunday Daytrip on the Mighty Mississippi

All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 14 – Saturday April 16, Mississippi River Daytrip 1pm - 7pm Sunday April 12th. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Location: Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite GRIOT Arts). Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. Catfish Dugout Canoe carving from 3-ton cottonwood log. Partnership with Spring Initiative and GRIOT ARTS youth programs. This project supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission. All ages welcome. We provide instruction, tools and safety equipment. Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. Contact: Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

Paddling on the Sunflower River Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday (Pick your time and stay out as long as you want) Canoe or kayak or SUP. Paddle the beautiful (and muddy!) Sunflower River through downtown Clarksdale with the “back-door view” of Red’s Lounge, The Riverside Hotel. Possible run through a Delta Wilderness with a take-out at Hopson Plantation. Meet Location: Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite Sarah’s Kitchen). Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. See below for options & rates.

Sunflower River Camping Wednesday - Sunday, April 8-12th Quapaw Canoe Company is offering Bathroom and shower access to persons camping along banks of Sunflower River in the City Park around our facility and in other places downtown. Bathroom and shower access is $25/tent/night for 2 people, $10 each additional person/night. Proceeds generated will be donated to GRIOT Arts youth program. Please don’t park on asphalt drive which the police use for access. Camping is in grassy areas of City Park to north of ramp, and any flat grassy places down along the river. Please don’t block gravel road access to Canoe Company. No open fires, but camp stoves, hibachis or small personal-sized BBQ okay. No smoking (city ordinance in public places). For more information contact: Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-1885. Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Ongoing Exhibit and Southern campaign headquarters for the 1Mississippi River Citizen Program. Come on over and learn about how you can help protect and better the waters of America, our drinking water, swimming water & lifeblood of the nation. Become a River Citizen and join us in making the Mississippi River sparkle like the beautiful “Queen of Rivers” that she is.

GRIOT and GREENS (Saturday 11am-2pm) Fresh greens collected and cooked by the youth involved in the GRIOT’s new Job Training Program Meraki. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian options. Donations accepted, proceeds to go to support of the GRIOT Meraki program.

Sunday April 12th, Mississippi River Daytrip 1-7pm (Sunday Only) Write [email protected] or call 662-902-7841 for reservation. Meet at 1pm at Quapaw headquarters 289 Sunflower Avenue in downtown Clarksdale gear up, and then shuttle to Montezuma Landing, which is directly above Friars Point. We’ll paddle by the beautiful warm light of mid-day to Island 61 where we’ll make swim stop and watch the sun rotate over the waters of Old Town Bend. Shortly thereafter we’ll follow the river downstream over the main channel of the Mississippi as it makes the turbulent escapade below Kangaroo Point. After supper, we’ll push off into the shimmering waters of the river, the darkness of the boils highlighted by shining whirl lines, boil lines, and low angle sun reflections. By the last light of the day we’ll paddle around Old Town Bend, and then silently slip in between Is. 62 and 63. Sometime around sunset we’ll cut into the channel below Island 63 and meet our shuttle driver Ellis Coleman “Mr. Smooth Dancer” at Quapaw Landing. Write or call ahead to make your reservation. $125/person includes guiding, outfitting and shuttle. Live music on board featuring recording artist Zoe Sundra. Bring your musical instrument. Also on board watercolor painter, Robin Whitfield and plant enthusiast/herbalist Lindsay Wilson (Sweet Gum Apothecary). Bring your sketchpad and pencils, pastels, or paints. Potluck Supper. Bring a loaf of bread, a salad, a vegetarian entree, or a rack of ribs, to share. We’ll provide plates, silverware, tables & camp chairs, as well as coffee and teas. 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

Griot Arts Events: Friday April 10th:

Improv Theater Workshop For Students 7th-12th Grade 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Sheila Shotwell will lead a fun theater workshop for any students interested. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.

Griot Arts Events: Saturday, April 11th

Griot Arts Building Open House 278 Sunflower Ave 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Please come by and Learn more about our after school arts program and our new job training program! www.griotarts.com. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.

Griot Art Gallery Open 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM 274 Sunflower Ave Join us to view local artists' work. Live Music in the afternoon. www.griotarts.com Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.

Griot Greens - 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM - Stop by the Quapaw Canoe Co. parking lot on Sunflower Ave for a treat from The Meraki Farm and see the fruit of the labor of the Griot's new Job Training Program. Greens and Cornbread will be available during the lunch hours. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian Options. Donations accepted, proceeds go to support Griot and Meraki. www.griotarts.com

Griot Youth Rock Band will be performing in the Griot Art Gallery (274 Delta Ave) from 4:30 to 5:30. Come by to see the future musicians of Clarksdale showcase their talents. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516 for more information.

Description: Paddling on the Sunflower River

Intro: Beautiful paddling through downtown Clarksdale, and upstream & downstream as well. Re-discover Clarksdale from its main artery, the Sunflower River. Back-door view of riverbank blues places like Red’s Juke Joint and the historic Riverside Hotel. Get close to Wildlife such as fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, song birds, birds of prey (mainly hawks & owls) wading birds & other waterfowl, occasional deer, possum, armadillos, raccoon & beaver. Flat water. Easy paddling. Guide service available. Do your own paddling & shuttling or we can provide canoes, kayaks and shuttle service. See below.

5 paddling options on the Sunflower River:

1) Downtown Clarksdale “Back-Door Blues Shuffle & Turnaround” (1-3 miles): Start off downstream under the Railroad Bridge and paddle behind Delta Hardware (Charlie Musselwhite CD), Ground Zero Blues Club, Red’s Juke Joint, Martin Luther King Park, the Riverside Hotel (where Bessie Smith died in 1937), and make a u-turn under the Blues Highway 61. Paddle back. Flexible timing, you decide how fast you want to paddle, and how soon you want to turn around. Leave from Sunflower Landing (behind Quapaw Canoe Company).

2) Downtown Parks & Wilderness (1-3 miles): Paddle upstream behind City Hall, around Soldier’s Field and enter the rich Cypress forest hidden along the banks of the river. You will be amazed by the variety of wildlife in this thriving floodplain ecosystem. Commonly seen are egrets, great blue herons, red eared turtles, mississippi map turtle, needlenose gar, red shouldered hawk, beaver and river otter. Paddle up to the Duckwalk Park and make turnaround for a leisurely paddle back downstream. Leave from Sunflower Landing (behind Quapaw Canoe Company).

3) Clark Park to Sunflower Landing (3 miles) Leisurely 3 mile paddle into downtown Clarksdale through some of the woods & neighborhoods north of town. Owls & beavers. Paddle through the cypress, oaks & sycamores of the Duck Walk. You’ve never seen downtown until you’ve seen it from the river! Put-in at Clark Park (Lee Drive & Friars Point Road). Take out at Sunflower Landing (Public Parking just downstream of 2nd Street Bridge). Shuttle available.

4) Clover Hill to Sunflower Landing (10 miles) 3-4 hours of paddling. Wild & remote-feeling. Great views of Coahoma County as it used to look. Paddle through woods & fields for miles and not see anyone. No people or buildings until you get close to Clarksdale. Lots of deer, ducks, owls, hawks, and migrating birds. Put in at bridge near Clover Hill. (turn off Friars Point Road at Kenoy’s and go East half mile on Farrell-Eagle’s Nest Road. Park on SE side of the 2nd Bridge. Put in below bridge. Take out at Sunflower Landing (Public Parking just downstream of 2nd Street Bridge)

5) Sunflower Landing to Hopson (6 miles) 2-3 hours of paddling. Leave downtown Clarksdale and paddle under the Railroad Bridge behind Delta Wholesale Hardware, Red’s Juke Joint, the Riverside Hotel, 61 Highway – you will see why the Sunflower River has the blues! The river alternates between short narrow passages with clogged channels through submerged trees and long pools bordered by big trees and wide fields. The banks are thick with hawks, owls & deer. Put in Sunflower Landing (Public Parking just downstream of 2nd Street Bridge). Take out at Hopson Bridge

Rental & Shuttle Rates

Canoe Rental Half Day: $35/canoe with paddles & life jackets for 2 people Canoe Rental Full Day: $70/canoe with paddles & life jackets for 2 people Kayak or SUP Rental: $35/person/trip with paddle & life jacket

Shuttle Rates (per person with canoes & kayaks): Sunflower Landing – Clark Park: $15 Sunflower Landing – Clover Hill: $25 Sunflower Landing – Hopson: $25

20% off for Friends of the Sunflower River in current good standing!!!

Who Are the Friends of the Sunflower River?

Friends of the Sunflower River is all about appreciating and caring for the lonely little river that winds its way through the center of the Mississippi Delta, from Friars Point to Clarksdale, from Mound Bayou & Merigold to Sunflower; from Indianola to Anguilla, from Holly Bluff to Vicksburg.

This river has the blues! Besides the many blues & gospel musicians who were born & baptized along its banks, its mussel shell beds (which are reported to be the richest such biota in the world) seem to be in constant danger of overzealous engineering. The Sunflower River has been neglected and over-worked; so much that it was proclaimed America’s “Most Endangered River” in 2003.

The good news is that its forests constitute the largest bottomland hardwood forests in the National Forest system (they also produce the highest carbon-sequestration of any forests in North America!), and its banks are home to every creature winged, webbed or otherwise, found native to the Mississippi Delta. It’s a beautiful place to get away, to reflect a moment on the rivers and woods of America, to walk along its banks, to paddle its waters, to enjoy its scenery. Most importantly, its home to all of us who live on or near its banks, and second home to many others who love it from a distance. Shouldn’t we be taking better care of our lonely muddy river?

Physical Description: The Sunflower River is born in the bayous and lakes of Northern Coahoma County and meanders South some 250 miles through the Yazoo/Mississippi Delta Coahoma County and meanders South some 250 miles through the Yazoo/Mississippi Delta paralleling the Mississippi River on the West and the Yazoo on the East, (with which it confluences with 10 miles above Vicksburg). A small but dynamic river, once forested, now mostly bordered by fields, the Sunflower is a rich habitat for all creatures native to the region, including black bear and panther. Its muddy current averages 2100 cfs (cubic feet per second) at Sunflower, 3461 at the mouth of Bogue Phalia, and approximately 4500 where it empties into the Yazoo River at Steele Bayou. Its drainage includes most or all of Coahoma, Bolivar, Sunflower, Washington, Sharkey & Issaquena Counties, some 3,689 square miles, inhabited by 169,150 people.

Cultural/Historical Mélange: In its journey through the Delta, the Sunflower winds through the layers of mud and history that gave the world its first great blues singer (Charlie Patton, Dockery Plantation), the first mechanized cotton picker (Hopson Plantation), its oldest African-American founded community (Mound Bayou), rural Civil Rights era leaders (Fanny Lou Hamer, Sunflower County; Aaron Henry, Clarksdale), the Teddy Bear (Delta National Forest), King of the Blues (Muddy Waters, born in Rolling Fork, lived 25 years at Stovall) and the renowned ambassador of the blues (B.B. King, Indianola). The Rev. C.L. Franklin (Aretha’s Father) is just one of many who were baptized in her muddy waters. Bessie Smith died at the G.T. Thomas Hospital which sits on her banks in Clarksdale (now the Riverside Hotel). Today you can hear live blues along the river at juke joints Red’s and Sarah’s Kitchen. Legendary woodsman, Holt Collier (1846-1936), who cornered the Teddy Bear, reported its waters to run clear & clean, and Roosevelt started each day of the hunt with a cold-water swim. One of our long-term objectives is to make the waters safe once again for fishing and swimming.

Canoe Outfitting & Guiding 101 - University of Monroe - May 2-3, 2015

Always wanted to start your own canoe/kayak river business and didn’t know how or where to start? This 2-day workshop is for you! For details and enrollment please go to: https://webservices.ulm.edu/ce/content/canoe-outfitting-guiding-101

Title: Canoe Outfitting & Guiding 101: A 2-Day Primer for Starting Your Own Small Business as Canoe Guide and Rental Service

Description: Learn the ins and outs of starting a small business dedicated to canoe livery and outfitting. Learn to safely guide canoeists through our local bayous, rivers and lakes for supplemental income. Introductory workshop lightly covering the many challenges and opportunities for a nature tourism business. This class will set the stage for for how to make your dream job come true. This two-day class is ideal for the person who loves the great outdoors and wants to share that enthusiasm with others. Half indoor classroom, half outdoors. Participants will know by the end of workshop whether or not to pursue this kind of business, and how and where to proceed if they so desire. No previous canoe experience required, but must be comfortable in water settings. Most aspects of this program are applicable to kayaks and paddleboards also. and paddleboards also.

-- Bluz Cruz 2015 --

Quapaw Canoe Company is offering space in our big canoes for 2015 Bluz Cruz, a 22-mile race ending up on the Yazoo River in downtown Vicksburg. One of the great races along the Lower Mississippi River! Begins at 8:00 am April 11th at Madison Parish Port, LA, and ends in Vicksburg, MS at the river front. The race fee will go to support the Service Over Self Organization. You can of course paddle your own canoe or kayak. But if you want to join 10 others in an unforgettable team experience, try the big canoe! The Big Canoe offering includes registration and everything you’ll need in the canoe for the day. For signup go to: http://www.bluzcruz.com/quapaw.htm.

For more information about Bluz Cruz, please go to: http://www.bluzcruz.com/

-- Juke Joint 2015 -- VENUES JUKE JOINTS

Go to http://www.jukejointfestival.com for full schedule and useful information!

Red's Lounge Corner of Sunflower & MLK Dr. Red's Lounge? It's the definition of a real-deal Mississippi juke joint. Don't expect to be spoiled with amenities. All you need is a been-there-done-that owner, some beers as big as your head and some "live" blues you'll never forget. (Oh, and MAYBE something out front on the grill.) This is how blues became blues... how the music grew up out of the cotton fields and onto a round piece of vinyl. Speaking of which, the building itself was called "Levine's Music Center" back in the day, and it's where and his bought the instruments that played the first rock 'n roll song. Yeah, Red's is the real thing for sure...

Messenger's 133 MLK Dr. This historic club, pool hall and cafe has been in continuous operation -- and in the same family -- since the 1930s. Alan Lomax even included it on his map of Clarksdale in 1941 (and Fisk University even documented the songs on the jukebox then). Since last year's Juke Joint Festival debut, Messenger's has featured "live" blues shows by Jimbo Mathus, Wesley Jefferson, and Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Bandr. Actor Samuel L. Jackson even showed up one night and caught musician Robert Belfour's performance! Look for the new sign out front and come on in for warm smiles and tall cool ones.

Delta Blues Room 220 Sunflower Avenue The Delta Blues Room is so nice that it's almost a shame to call it a juke joint. The owners run a smooth establishment. From the matching tables and chairs to the fine blues artwork on the walls, this is a classy blues joint through and through. Past performers here have included Big George Brock, Super Chikan, Big T, John Horton, Mississippi Slim and others. Oh... and the hot wings (and the shrimp and burgers for that matter) are excellent!

Delta Amusement Cafe 348 Delta Avenue The Delta Amusement Cafe is... uh, well... a "scene"! Great greasy food, bigger-life-characters, occasional music and the kind of place where you can pour your own cup of coffee (and bring in your friendly dog). Past performers here have included Jimbo Mathus, Jacqueline Nassar, Josh "Razorblade" Stewart, Marshall Drew and Terry "Harmonica" Bean. The cafe is definitely the place for breakfast, by the way. Delta Amusement cooks up superb delta soul food, fresh crawfish boil, and has ice cold beer, larger-than-life-characters, live music . . .

Ground Zero Blues Club 0 Blues Alley Clarksdale's largest real-deal blues music venue offers "live" Mississippi blues music every Wednesday to Saturday... plus special events during festival time periods. Co-owned by actor , attorney Bill Luckett and music agent Howard Stovall, Ground Zero Blues Club will celebrate its 5th anniversary in May 2006. Besides the plethora of incredible local blues acts who have performed there, musicians from Mavis Staples and Alvin Youngblood Hart to Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Rush have been filmed playing there. For more information, log on to www.groundzerobluesclub.com.

Hopson Commissary 1 Commissary Road Home of the old Hopson Plantation and the current Shackup Inn, Hopson Commissary is a combination museum and music venue that has to be seen to be believed. drove a tractor out at Hopson in the 40s, and it was also home to the first mechanical cotton picker.

Hambone Art, Music and 111 E. Second Street "Hambone Art Gallery", Artwork by Stan Street , is located at 111 East Second St.,between Madidi's and Theo's Museum . Formerly Conerly shoes [ co- owned by Charlie Conerly, quarterback of the New York Giants and Old Miss.] Before that, the building was the old Delta theatre. Owners Stan and Dixie Street moved to Clarksdale from So. Florida. Both blues musicians, they were drawn here by the city's historical roots. Stan is a poster designer for many roots and blues festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Artwork is mostly musical, but the Gallery also has landscapes from the Delta, Abstracts, and ecclectic Found Object pieces. " web stanstreet.com ph. 662- 253-5586 [email protected]

Stone Pony Pizza 226 Delta Avenue Open 11am til..662.624.PONY (7669) www.stoneponypizza.com Stone Pony Pizza is excited to bring to the Mississippi Delta an eclectic mix of atmosphere. A building that has been in Clarksdale since 1912, we have renovated and brought this great building back to its historic beginnings. We offer five flat screen televisions for your enjoyment, Wi-Fi accessibility and a pictorial history of Clarksdale and many of its colorful residents. With Journey Baker, Matthew Joseph, we offer not only a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy, but homemade, hand-tossed pizza that will make your mouth water. Come, join us and enjoy a wonderful night in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Hopson Commissary-Back Porch 1 Commissary Circle

Bluesberry Cafe 235 Yazoo Avenue Blues Berry Cafe 1st place winners 2007 Jubliee BBQ Cook Off Past Preformers, Malted Milk Band,Lala ,Incode, Super Chikan and The Fighting Cocks,Heavy Suga,Razor Blade,Shake it Like A Caveman,The Blind Ducks,Jeff Lewis,and many more. Good Food,Good Music,Good Drinks, = Good Times

Juke Joint Chapel (Shack Up Inn) 1 Commissary Road New, old-style venue at the world-famous Shackup Inn and Cotton Gin Inn.

Club 2000 349 Issaquena Avenue Ex-beauty parlor and 2nd smallest juke in fest. Features musical stylings of Mr. Tater on Sundays.

Hick's BBQ & Tamales 305 South State Street World-famous member of the "Delta Tamale Trail" features a spacious music room.

Pete's Grill 550 Sunflower Avenue LIVE BLUES TBA. Night time music venue with $10.00 wrist band.

New Roxy 357 Issaquena Avenue The New Roxy is a former movie theater located in the Historic New World District of Clarksdale Mississippi. Renovation began in 2008 after sitting vacant and deteriorating since the mid 1980’s. What remains physically is a shell of the former theater…. a sloping concrete floor, masonry stage, distressed yet beautiful brick walls, a gorgeous view of the night sky and a fabulous feeling that can only be understood when you stand inside. Renovations have included a bar area, and a new roof over the stage in 2010. We are currently open only for special events which often feature live blues music. Come join us as we try to recapture some of the rich history and culture of this once vibrant and important neighborhood in the heart of the Delta. Open April 13-16 during the 2011 Juke Joint Festival. We will be featuring live music throughout the weekend. Cold beer, iced coffee, lemonade and snacks available. Newroxyclarksdale.com [email protected] 206-622-1850

Oxbow Restaurant 316 John Lee Hooker Lane NEW LOCATION! Located in downtown Clarksdale, Oxbow Restaurant is a uniquely designed place to unwind and enjoy food that you might not expect in the Mississippi Delta. Chef Hayden worked in the kitchens of world famous chefs before returning home 4 years ago with his wife Erica to cook for his hometown and its visitors. Oxbow is regionally famed for their Tuna Tacos but have many other exciting dishes on the menu. 662-627-6781. We look forward to feeding you at our new location! Enter from John Lee Hooker Lane (Yazoo extended) OR Third Street entrance from parking lot. Service is fast casual, first come/first serve, seat yourself establishment. Open Monday-Friday 11am-2pm and Juke Joint Saturday 11am-9pm

Delta Blues Alley Café-Front Bar 352 Delta The newest kid on the block, located on the corner of Delta ave. and Blues Alley, 'now how down home is dat'. Equipped with a street side bar open daily with pool tables, games, flat screen viewing , juke box jams and Ice cold beer and beverages, giving you that local feel only Clarksdale can provide. Then once you go thru the 'big hole in da wall' and fade to black, its an unexpected experience with a dance floor, tables, booths, a separate bar and grill for your enjoyment and newly added mainstage for your entertainment. Local radio station disc jockeys play the grooves nightly and blues icons and other artist perform live @ Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge. Local legends and up incoming stars like Robert Bilbro Walker, David Kimbrough and the Kimbrough Family, Cops by day, blues in the heat of the night, Otis TCB Taylor and main stage band, and Rickey Burton and all soul band, plus many more have graced our stage and are scheduled for upcoming events. Also coming Soon, the Saturday Night Fish Fry with Jaka Sherrie from one of the longest running blues program in the Mississippi Delta with live broadcast on Delta Force 3 radio and Bluesday 2'sday with live bands every Tuesday Night, and couple 2 for 1 admission and specials. Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge welcomes you to the place where hard times and struggle fell in love, and the blues was born.

The Holy Moly 301 Issaquena Avenue The Holy Moly, an old Masonic Temple in the centre of the Historic Downtown Blues precinct of Clarksdale , Mississippi, is now a revitalised building. Listed on the National Register of historic buildings, it was purchased by an Australian couple in 2012, empty, and unused. In the last two years, four living/working spaces for artists/musicians have been established on the ground floor, together with " The Holy Moly Drug Store ," an ice cream/coffee lounge / beverage bar. The second floor revitalisation work at The Holy Moly has just been completed, and the floor plan lends itself to more creative endeavours. It incorporates a theater space for music/film and story telling, an event room with a commercial kitchen, an office with full living facilities, a meeting room, and a green room with living facilities. The unusual floor plan has been retained and recycled to suit and accommodate groups of people for workshops, leisure education , and cultural activities. The second floor of The Holy Moly will be open for the first time over the Juke Joint Festival 2015 , as a night time concert venue on the Saturday night, from 7-10 pm as well as a venue for the Juke Joint Jam Academy from 3- 5pm on Saturday. Carla Maxwell and Adrian Kosky invite you to explore the future possibilities for the revitalised second floor of The Holy Moly . They welcome your feedback, support , and encouragement on how to best use it in the future. Please email your suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].

Delta Blues Alley Café-Backroom Stage 352 The newest kid on the block, located on the corner of Delta ave. and Blues Alley, 'now how down home is dat'. Equipped with a street side bar open daily with pool tables, games, flat screen viewing , juke box jams and Ice cold beer and beverages, giving you that local feel only Clarksdale can provide. Then once you go thru the 'big hole in da wall' and fade to black, its an unexpected experience with a dance floor, tables, booths, a separate bar and grill for your enjoyment and newly added mainstage for your entertainment. Local radio station disc jockeys play the grooves nightly and blues icons and other artist perform live @ Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge. Local legends and up incoming stars like Robert Bilbro Walker, David Kimbrough and the Kimbrough Family, Cops by day, blues in the heat of the night, Otis TCB Taylor and main stage band, and Rickey Burton and all soul band, plus many more have graced our stage and are scheduled for upcoming events. Also coming Soon, the Saturday Night Fish Fry with Jaka Sherrie from one of the longest running blues program in the Mississippi Delta with live broadcast on Delta Force 3 radio and Bluesday 2'sday with live bands every Tuesday Night, and couple 2 for 1 admission and specials. Delta Blues Alley Café blues lounge welcomes you to the place where hard times and struggle fell in love, and the blues was born.

STAGES

Rock & Blues Museum Stage 100 block East 2nd Street

Paramount Marquee Stage 200 block of Yazoo Avenue

Delta Avenue Park 200 block of Delta Avenue This event staging area is dedicated to the memory of the late Wert Cooper -- a downtown business owner and Clarksale cheerleader who is very missed. Mr. Tater Memorial Stage 350 Issaquena

Delta Blues Museum 1 Blues Alley Main, outdoor stage at the Delta Blues Museum

Miss Del's General Store 145 Delta Avenue Check out this fun and festival general store and take home gifts of food, books, clothes, antiques, bath & body and more! It's a one-of-a-kind store that could only exist in a one-of-a-kind place like Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Cat Head Stage 252 Delta Avenue

Delta Furniture Stage 238 Issaquenna

Hopson Commissary Stage Hopson Pantation

Sunflower Avenue Gazebo Stage

Stone Pony Tack Room 226 Delta Avenue

OTHER

Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art 252 Delta Avenue Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk art is a store, a stage, a record label, a clearinghouse of information and a state of mind. Cat Head specializes in all things blues and folk art. At www.cathead.biz, there is a web site that offers a taste of their wares plus "Live Music" and "Clarksdale Guide" pages. During festival events, FREE "live" music is often offered out front as well... including Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and all day Sunday during the Juke Fest weekend.

Greyhound Bus Station 300 Issaquena Avenue Visit the historical Greyhound Bus Station (circa 1930) in Downtown Clarksdale at 3rd and Isaqueena. Clarksdale Revitalization, a visitor information center, has maps, schedules, and area information to make your travels easy. Many transportation and community posters and historical photos are on display. And ... the coffee pot is always on! 662-621-8004.

Delta Blues Museum 1 Blues Alley The one and only Delta Blues Museum opened in 1979. It houses a variety of vintage guitars and other blues artifacts, including the remnants of blues great Muddy Waters' Clarksdale home. Featured exhibits for the festival are "Charlie Musselwhite: Son of Mississippi - Citizen of the World" and "The American Delta". For more information, log on at www.deltabluesmuseum.org or call 662-627-6820. Museum hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday.

Clarksdale Passenger's Station Blues Alley

Carnegie Public Library 114 Delta Avenue

Delta Cinema 11 Third Street Located at 11 Third Street our local Delta Cinema will be showing documentaries during our festival. One seat on Sat., April 12th is included in the Juke Joint Festival's $15 wristband price. Showing on Sunday, April 13th as well.

Quapaw Canoe Company 289 Sunflower Avenue GRIOT/Quapaw Canoe Company Activities During 2015 Juke Joint Festival April 9-12 Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop Paddling on the Sunflower River Sunflower River Camping 1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? GRIOT and GREENS Sunday Daytrip on the Mighty Mississippi All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 14 – Saturday April 16, Mississippi River Daytrip 1pm - 7pm Sunday April 12th. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected]. Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Location: Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite GRIOT Arts). Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. Catfish Dugout Canoe carving from 3-ton cottonwood log. Partnership with Spring Initiative and GRIOT ARTS youth programs. This project supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission. All ages welcome. We provide instruction, tools and safety equipment. Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. Contact: Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected]. Paddling on the Sunflower River Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday (Pick your time and stay out as long as you want) Canoe or kayak or SUP. Paddle the beautiful (and muddy!) Sunflower River through downtown Clarksdale with the “back-door view” of Red’s Lounge, The Riverside Hotel. Possible run through a Delta Wilderness with a take-out at Hopson Plantation. Meet Location: Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower (Third Street & Sunflower, opposite Sarah’s Kitchen). Contact: 662-627-4070 or 902-7841. See below for options & rates. Sunflower River Camping Quapaw Canoe Company Wednesday - Sunday Quapaw Canoe Company will be hosting a public campground downtown for tents campers. No trailers or RVs. Porta-Johns and hot showers on location. Camp on grassy sites along the banks of the Sunflower River! Easy access to downtown Clarksdale and all the stages and juke joints. Everything within walking distance! $25/tent/night for 2 people, $10 each additional person/night. Bring your own tent and sleeping bags. Parking for 1 vehicle per tent. (You can find close by parking elsewhere). Contact: Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-1885. Quapaw Canoe Company 662-627-4070 or [email protected]. 1Mississippi -- Can the River Count on You? Quapaw Canoe Company 9 am to 4 pm Wednesday - Saturday Ongoing Exhibit and Southern campaign headquarters for the 1Mississippi River Citizen Program. Come on over and learn about how you can help protect and better the waters of America, our drinking water, swimming water & lifeblood of the nation. Become a River Citizen and join us in making the Mississippi River sparkle like the beautiful “Queen of Rivers” that she is. GRIOT and GREENS (Saturday 11am-2pm) Fresh greens collected and cooked by the youth involved in the GRIOT’s new Job Training Program Meraki. Contact Emily Wisseman [email protected] or 217-778-0516. Vegetarian options. Donations accepted, proceeds to go to support of the GRIOT Meraki program. Sunday April 12th, Mississippi River Daytrip 1-7pm (Sunday Only) Write [email protected] or call 662-902-7841 for reservation. Meet at 1pm at Quapaw headquarters 289 Sunflower Avenue in downtown Clarksdale gear up, and then shuttle to Montezuma Landing, which is directly above Friars Point. We’ll paddle by the beautiful warm light of mid-day to Island 61 where we’ll make swim srtop and watch the sun rotate over the waters of Old Town Bend. Shortly thereafter we’ll follow the river downstream over the main channel of the Mississippi as it makes the turbulent escapade below Kangaroo Point. After supper, we’ll push off into the shimmering waters of the river, the darkness of the boils highlighted by shining whirl lines, boil lines, and low angle sun reflections. By the last light of the day we’ll paddle around Old Town Bend, and then silently slip in between Is. 62 and 63. Sometime around sunset we’ll cut into the channel below Island 63 and meet our shuttle driver Ellis Coleman “Mr. Smooth Dancer” at Quapaw Landing. Call ahead to make your reservation. $125/person includes guiding, outfitting and shuttle. Live music on board! Potluck Supper. Bring a loaf of bread, a salad, or a rack of ribs to share. 662-627-4070 or [email protected].

Care Station John Lee Hooker Lane

Clarksdale Revitalization Corner of Third and Issaquena Located inside the historic Greyhound Bus Station, Clarksdale Revitalization, a visitor information center, has maps, schedules, and area information to make your travels easy. Many transportation and community posters and historical photos are on display. And ... the coffee pot is always on! 662-621-8004

Ooo So Pretty Flowers & Accessories 393 Issaquena Avenue Located on the corner of Issaquena and MLK in the historic New World District, Ooo So Pretty Flowers boasts a wide variety of flowers and gifts for every occasion. Open from 9:00 am until the last customer leaves the building. Brighten someones day with flowers or promote city beautification by purchasing a Makin' Clarksdale Ooo So Pretty T-Shirt for $15. 662.624.4007 [email protected]

WROX Museum 257 Delta Avenue Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday - Friday, during festival times. Clarksdale's Historial site of WROX radio station from 1946-1954. Personal collection of artifacts and recordings of Early Wright. Other WROX and Clarksdale memorabilia.

The Bank 2nd & Yazoo, downtown.

Rock & Blues Museum 113 East 2nd Street Six rooms of display and over 100 artist exhibits. Blues, rock, rockabilly and country music memorabilia -- including many rare records, photos and more. "Live" entertainment is also planned for out front. 901-605-8662 www.blues2rock.com

Regions Bank Juke Joint Festival Parade Downtown Clarksdale Starting from Regions Bank 211 East Second Street and traveling around downtown Clarksdale.

Aaron Cotton Company 311 Delta Avenue

Bus Shuttle

Ride our "Blues Bus" shuttle between our official Juke Joint Festival nighttime venues! FESTIVAL WRISTBAND REQUIRED. Bus shuttles start out at hotels (& Expo RV park) around 8pm, and then rotate for the rest of the evening between the clubs and juke joints. (Runs till roughly 1am... but don't miss the last bus, please.)

Delta Cinema Stage 11 Third Street Classic Clarksdale movie and performance theater. Main cinema (there are two) features a live performance stage. Juke Joint Festival features a kick-off concert event on this Delta Cinema Stage every year on the Thursday evening prior to the fest itself. This venue provides a very special visual and listening arena for extra special shows such as the musical "Mosquitoville" (2010) and the North Mississippi String Band (2011). These events are purposely planned for early evening to avoid conflicts with live, nighttime blues at the jukes. Also, plan to arrive early for free lobby music and a poster signing with artist Cristen Barnard (6pm).

Delta Creations Visit our new location at the corner of Second and Delta Avenue. Our expanded space has opened the door to have many new vendors. Our vendors have booth space filled with items to satisfy all your decorating or gift needs! Stop in and browse our new showroom!

Art Exhibit-123 EAST SECOND 123 EAST SECOND Our community art exhibit begins at 10 am till 5 pm. Exhibiting works from local elementary, junior high, high school and college students. Delta Avenue

Shack Up Inn

Comfort Inn 818 S. State Street /spa