2019 Hot August Blues FAQ

Do you have some questions about this year's festival? We bet others have the same question!  E-mail your question by filling out the form HERE on the CONTACT PAGE, and we'll answer your question, PLUS post the question and answer here so others can see!

How much are tickets and where can I get them?
Tickets are ON SALE NOW online!  CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS!   Online ticket sales will END at Noon, Thursday, August 22nd.  We will be at the free show Thursday night at Kenlake State Park Lodge to scan tickets and exchange them for wristbands. At the gate, ticket prices will be, Friday $20, and Saturday $30 and $45 for BOTH DAYS.  Children 12 and under, accompanied by an adult will be admitted at no charge.
Tickets are on sale locally at Kenlake State Park Lodge and The Hitching Post in Aurora, KY, The Wine Cellar  and Spirits locations in Draffenville, Benton and Murray, KY, Music One and Murray Transit in Murray, KY and Bristol Broadcasting in Paducah, KY at 6000 WKYQ/WKYX Road (off Old Mayfield Road)

Will there be a beer garden?  Can I bring a cooler?
There will NOT be a beer garden at the festival as state law dictates no outside drinks may be brought in, if there is a beer garden. Instead, patrons will be allowed to bring their own coolers into the amphitheater area.  There will be a $15 fee, per cooler, which is good for both days, Friday and Saturday, August 24 and 25. Small 6-pack coolers are only $5. The fee helps offset the increased insurance cost for allowing coolers to be brought in, the decreased revenue from food vendors, and to help fund the Marshall County Rescue Squad, which acts as first aid responders for the event. There is no set size limit on the coolers, however the festival reserves the right to charge extra in the case of an excessively large cooler. The festival just asks everyone to use common sense and their better judgement.

What is allowed and what is not allowed in the amphitheater?
No glass bottles, no beach balls and no pets are allowed.  By law, service animals are allowed.

Will there be a food boat on the lake selling food and merchandise again this year?
No.  Unfortunately, there is not a food boat operating in that part of the lake this year!  Food will be available for boaters at Kenlake Marina.  Boaters can also purchase and ticket, get a wristband, and come onshore for food from our vendors.  We do have plans to sell festival merchandise on the lake via a pontoon boat!


The last several years, my friends and I have purchased a table with an umbrella at the top of the amphitheater.  Will we be able to do that again this year and if so, how much?
There are 10 tables with umbrellas at the top of the amphitheater.  Five are for our corporate sponsors, and the other 5 can be purchased by those who want preferred seating. They'll each have 6 chairs and come with 6 wristbands for both Friday and Saturday, PLUS the cooler fee is WAIVED for those with the VIP Party Pass!  THEY ARE SOLD OUT FOR 2019!  


My band would like to play at the Kenlake Hot August Blues.  How do we apply?
The bands for this year have already been chosen, but in the late fall, our committee will begin looking at bands for next year!  Please feel free to submit at the time by clicking HERE and including a link to your band's EPK.


I would like to be a vendor at the Kenlake Hot August Blues.  How do I apply?
The vendors for this year have already been chosen, but we will be closely examining how our vendors do, and how they go over with the crowd, asking questions such as, "Do we have enough vendors?, Do we need different varieties of food?"  Just like the bands, feel free to contact us in the late fall and inquire about being a vendor for next year, by clicking HERE!

Will there be a shuttle service from the lodge, campground and Aurora to the Amphitheater? 
YES! The Shriners will provide shuttle service, with ALL TIPS going to the Shriners Children's Hospital! They'll also be helped by Murray Calloway Transit to help with the overflow.  There will be designated shuttle stops to get on and off.  The shuttle will begin running at 3PM Friday, and 10AM Saturday and continue running until everyone is returned to the campground, cabins, lodge or other motels in Aurora.  If you're coming to the festival, be sure to have a designated driver or take advantage of the shuttle service as it is there for the safety and convenience of everybody! If you are coming from Murray, KY, you can reserve a ride with Murray Calloway County Transit at (270) 753-9725.  The transit will provide you and your friends with a ride to the festival from anywhere in Murray and Calloway County, and then back!

What happens if it rains?
In case of rain, the show WILL GO ON. The show will move inside the indoor tennis center near the top of the amphitheater.

2019 Hot August Blues Lineup Announced

The 30^th Edition of Kentucky's longest running music festival, the Kenlake Hot August Blues Festival will feature some past favorites, along with some national stars!

The festival begins Thursday, August 22nd, with the traditional free show on the lawn of the Kenlake State Park Lodge. Last year's Blues Jam was so popular, they're going to do it again with local favorites Adam and the H Bombs and 2 Years Wasted hosting the jam from 6-10pm

Friday, August 23^rd, the festival moves over to the amphitheater as the gates open at 3, and music begins at 6. Friday will feature three of Harper Guitars' top guns, beginning with John Sutton. Sutton is known from Western Kentucky to South Florida for his free-wheeling performances which fill up the dance floors. Sutton will be followed by a past favorite, Alonzo Pennington and the Xtraordinary Gentlemen. Pennington is a multi thumb-picking national champion as well as semi-finalist at Memphis' International Blues Challenge. Finishing up Friday is Jonathon Long. The former Guitar Center King of the Blues is coming off a breakout year in which his self-titled CD, produced by Samantha Fish, drew much critical acclaim and landed him on the radar of Blues guitar guru Joe Bonamassa, who signed Long to play alongside him on his Mediterranean Keeping the Blues Alive Cruise. In fact, Long's first appearance following the cruise, will be Hot August!

Saturday, the gates open at10AM, and the music starts at noon with Nightfish, one of the original bands from the first Hot August Blues Festival in 1990. Nightfish may well be the regions longest tenured band, having performed continuously for the past 39 years. Nightfish will be followed by The Gough-Martin Blues Band from South Union, Kentucky. Next up is The Beat Daddys. The former Malaco recording artists return to Hot August due to popular demand. The Beat Daddys will be followed by another former Guitar Center King of the Blues, Boscoe France, who will be making his Hot August debut after showcasing his six string skills around the nation and the world. Louisiana's legendary Big Al and the Heavyweights are next, returning to Hot August Blues for the first time since around the year 2000.

The festival brings a hot dose of Memphis Rhythm and Blues next with The Memphis All-Stars. They played with a who's who of Memphis music royalty, including Al Green with a legacy that goes back to the heyday of Memphis music with Stax Records. Speaking of Memphis, the next artist received a brass note on Beale Street just this past year as recognition for her contributions to Memphis' rich musical heritage. The Hot August Blues Festival is proud to bring back, by popular demand, The Reba Russell Band. Finally, fans will want to stick around for the evenings final act, Chicago's undisputed Queen of Blues Rock, and one of the finest slide players in the world, Joanna Connor. Her Youtube videos have gone viral and racked up millions of views just this year, and her marathon shows at one of Chicago's most famous Blues clubs, Kingston Mines are legendary!

The Kenlake Hot August Blues Festival is set for Thursday through Saturday, August 22-24 at Kenlake State Park in Aurora, Kentucky. Discount tickets are available at KenlakeBlues.com. For a limited time, combo tickets for both Friday and Saturday are only $25, but at the gate will be $45. Patrons will be allowed to bring in their own coolers for the event, for a $15 fee, which covers both Friday and Saturday of the event.

Organizations benefiting from this year's Hot August Blues Festival include the Marshall County Rescue Squad, which receives 100% of it's funding from donations and fundraisers., as well as The Shriners, who will be operating festival shuttles with all tips and proceeds going to the Shriners' Childrens' Hospitals and the Knights of Columbus.