Portland, OR
Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival
Portland, OR, 97225, United States
The West Coast’s largest blues festival dates to 1987 and draws internationally renowned musicians like Buddy Guy and Lucinda Williams to the shores of the Willamette River, while benefiting the Oregon Food Bank. Each attendee donates $10 at the door, along with two cans of food, an initiative that raised approximately $750,000 and more than 100,000 pounds of food, helping the beneficiary to battle hunger. The festival includes four ways to hear the blues, whether it’s at the four-day outdoor festival, on DME blues cruises aboard the Portland Spirit, or at After-Hours Allstar concerts in the nearby Marriott hotel.
Insider Tip:
The 2011 festival drew more than 120,000 people, so it’s probably better to keep the car at home and arrive at the waterfront on foot, by bike, or MAX light rail.
