Blues and Beer.
A lot of rocking. A Lot of drinking. What else is there to say?
For fans of the epic Mammoth Bluesapalooza, a whole lot! This music festival is one of the biggest of its kind, attracting a legion of dedicated music fans from across the globe to the little ski resort vacation getaway of Mammoth Lakes.
Mammoth gets soaked in rock and roll every August. The event this year carries the first few days of August, from Aug 1st to Aug 4th. Right at the cusp of summer comes this rambunctious and riveting nearly week-long gathering for music fans of all shapes and colors.
What Can You Expect at Bluesapalooza?
Aside from the obvious (a lot of blues, a lot of beer) what can you expect to find?
The event runs about the entire day. The main attraction is the music. There’s a total of about 30 major musical acts across two stages- the main stage and the Minaret stage. Acts will often alternate between the two, giving you plenty of opportunities to see every band while giving the crew time to prepare everything they need for each show.
Of course, this only covers one portion of the event- the blues. What about beer? Scattered throughout the park are about 150 different craft beer and cider vendors, with many of them local to the region. Just about all of them will offer some kind of beer taste testing, so be sure to check them all out (across all four days).
Tickets and Prices
Speaking of all four days, guests can come for a single day, a two day, or a four day with various passes. Ticket prices range from about $55 for a single night to around $200-$230 for a four-day pass. Two-day passes come in around $150-$165 depending on the days you choose (Fri and Sat or Sat and Sun).
All tickets are available on the official website. It covers every package price and the best fit for you and your group. Ages 10 and under are free with an adult ticket purchase. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, though many passes are expected to sell out.
Times and Schedule
The event is slated to begin at 4 p.m. and continue to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. It will pick back up at noon on Saturday and run all day to 11:30 when Saturday’s headliners, Reverend Tall Tree & The Blackstrap Brothers, close the night out.
Finally, Sunday’s schedule starts at noon and ends around 7 p.m. with a special after-party performance with the Katie Henry Band at the Mammoth Brewing Co. Tasting Room.
The full schedule is also available online. You can review it for tasting times and other food and beer-related event times.
Lineups and Jams
The real main part of the event is the music, and you get more of it than you can handle.
Some may call the Mammoth Bluesapalooza a blues or Mammoth jazz festival, but it’s really a delicate combination of the two, with splatterings of country rock, soul, hip-hop, and even a little big band.
Buddy Guy is headlining the event, bringing his energetic and legendary performance to Mammoth. He is one of the remaining greats of Chicago blues, and will undoubtedly pull out some melting grooves even at the young age of 82.
You also get a piece of Sugaray Rayford and his charming 8-piece band. This Texas-born soul blues singer channels the likes of Muddy Waters for a dark and deep sound.
There’s also Sal’s Greenhouse, a mesmerizing and seriously bombastic powerhouse funk group consisting of 9 wild members. To say their show is eclectic and fun is a gross understatement.
Be sure to see Dirty Cello, Southern Avenue, and Emily Wolfe, among many (many) others.
Plans and Goals
We don’t recommend you sleep in the woods just outside the field between days. We have some awesome Mammoth mountain vacation rentals for you and your whole blues-loving crew.
The best way you can stay safe and plan your trip is to book one of our 3-bedroom vacation condos ahead of time. Secure your stay so you aren’t struggling with few options and high event prices.
