Mississippi and Blues Festival

Contact:	Mississippi Development Authority
	Tourism Division	
	Stephen Martin	601.359.3555
		smartin@mississippi.org

Date: 	May 19, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	



From the Mississippi Delta to the Chicago Blues Festival – Juke Joints are still alive


JACKSON, Miss. --The Mississippi Development Authority, (MDA) Tourism Division will showcase the “Birthplace of America’s Music�?? in Chicago, Illinois at the annual Chicago Blues Festival, June 8-11th, 2006 in downtown Chicago at Grant Park.  

The Tourism Division along with hospitality partners Mississippi Delta Tourism Association, Y’all Magazine, Amtrak, 930 Blues Club, Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Mississippi Blues Commission will distribute marketing materials from the Mississippi booth during the festival.  

“This opportunity has grown bigger and better each your through our partnership with the City of Chicago.  The response from the visitors to our booth assures us that we definitely need to be here promoting our rich blues heritage,�?? said Alex Thomas, associate manager / Heritage Development, MDA. “Each year the festival attracts over 600,000 visitors over the four day period and we see a great deal of traffic at our booth.  Marketing at special events increases exposure and awareness of our tourism product.  We know the audience is interested in the blues and view this as a tremendous opportunity.�??  

This year the office of tourism will be the title sponsor of the Mississippi Juke Joint Stage that will feature artists Mississippi Round Robin, Lonnie Gearshifter Youngblood, Super Chikan, Honeyboy Edwards, Charley Nelson and many more.  They will also host a function during the event on Friday, June 9, 2006 at the Petrillo Music Shell Tent for tour operators, meeting planners, expatriates and blues enthusiasts.  Mississippi tourism professionals from around the state will be on-site to welcome the group.  Other guests include Isaac K. Byrd, Jackson, MS attorney and owner of the 930 Blues Club, Y’all Magazine, Amtrak, and the B.B. King Museum Foundation.  

During the festival attendees will learn first hand how Mississippi folk artist create wonderful work that represent the heritage of the Mississippi Delta and the culture of blues music by visiting the Mississippi Juke Joint area tents.  Roger Stolle proprietor of CatHead, a Mississippi Delta music and folk art venue in Clarksdale, will be on site to display work created in Mississippi.   
 
This year’s festival highlight will be an awarding of a roundtrip getaway for two from Chicago to Mississippi on Amtrak. For more details, visitors can stop by the booth.

###