11 am – 10:30 pm, July 1-4, 2023

Gates open daily at 11 am, with music starting at 12 pm. Gold & Platinum VIP passes allow for early entry at 10:15 am. GA+ Early Entry passes allow for early entry at 10:30 am. All other passes and tickets can enter at 11 am.

The festival site is a City of Portland public park, with most of the terrain a sloping, grassy hill. The walkways are ADA accessible and there is a designated ADA seating area at the top of the bowl. The main entrance at SW Columbia Street provides the most direct access point to the ADA seating area. Please note that as with all seating in the venue, it is first-come, first-served. There is no reserved festival parking. Attendees can park in public lots and on the street. The closest parking garage is at SW First and Jefferson Street, just a few blocks from the festival site.

If you have specific questions regarding accessibility, please reach out to our team at info@waterfrontbluesfest.com.

The entire schedule with artist performances by time and location can be viewed here.

The following items are not allowed at the festival:

• Outside beverages, other than factory sealed or empty water bottles
• Cannabis, drugs, outside alcohol and other controlled substances
• Hard-sided coolers or picnic baskets, including Styrofoam
• Smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco
• Umbrellas, tents or canopies
• Oversized blankets — please be courteous to your neighbor and only take up the space that you need (that’s about a regular beach towel-sized space per person)
• Carts or wagons
• Weapons of any kind
• Fireworks, explosives, or accelerants of any kind
• Drones
• Balloons, beachballs, frisbees, inflatable devices, or outdoor games
• Professional audio or video recording devices and equipment, including cameras with a detachable lens longer than 4″
• Animals, except service animals
• Glass of any kind

All attendees and their belongings are subject to search upon entry. The festival is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.

We’re all here to have a good time and we’re all a part of the Blues Fest Community, so please remember:

• Per the City of Portland, all Portland Parks are designated as smoke-free areas
• Be kind to the park — dispose of trash and recycling in designated receptacles
• Be kind to your neighbor — no physical or verbal harassment or abuse will be tolerated
• Keep on moving — please do not block aisles, walkways, esplanade or other public areas
• Be cool — please follow the guidelines and directions of the festival management team and its authorized contractors, as well as all posted signage
• No seriously, be cool — please follow all federal, state and City of Portland laws, ordinances, rules and regulations
• Waterfront Blues Festival staff will close entry to Waterfront Park when the audience reaches capacity, as directed by the City of Portland Fire Marshal
• No video or audio recording of concerts without permission from artist
• No distribution of commercial advertisements, or vending without authorization

In accordance with current state and local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements for guests at the 2023 Waterfront Blues Festival. For those who still want to rock a mask, you do you and do what’s most comfortable so you can fully enjoy the festival. Safety remains our priority and we will continue to monitor any changes in state and local guidelines, which are subject to change at any time.

There will be a variety of tasty food and snack options available for purchase including gluten-free and vegetarian options. There will be beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages available for purchase. A valid, acceptable ID is required for all alcohol purchases. All outside beverages are not allowed, however, attendees may enter with factory-sealed water bottles and empty reusable water bottles.

The on-site festival merchandise booth is the place to find all of your fun, new Blues Festival gear! In the meanwhile, you can shop online for shirts, swag and more from past festivals.

The 2023 vendor applications are closed.

Do you have something else to offer that isn’t food or goods? If you are a business that wants to advertise your business, sign up new customers, collect consumer data, hand out samples (or coupons, fliers or marketing materials) or simply engage with attendees without selling anything directly, you could be a sponsor! Please email sponsors@waterfrontbluesfest.com for more information.

Volunteers are the heart and soul of the festival. They help with a little bit of everything, from hydration and hospitality to ticket lines and merch sales. We’ve got a volunteer role for you! Sign up to volunteer now. 

P.S. Volunteering is a great way to earn a free ticket to the festival! Fulfill a shift and you can spend the rest of the day enjoying the vibes.

Have you ever wanted to play at the Blues Fest? Does your favorite local blues band deserve a spot in the bright lights? Since 1999, the Cascade Blues Association has been hosting a contest, Journey to Memphis, to send local acts to represent our region at The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN.  Applications are open, with the semi-finals hosted in June and the finals hosted on July 4 on the Front Porch Stage. And if winning isn’t exciting enough, the Waterfront Blues Festival always commits to booking the Journey to Memphis winning acts to play on the main stages at the following year’s festival. Visit the Cascade Blues Association’s website for more information and details on how to apply.