Inverness to host first international blues festival this spring

Inverness is set to host its first-ever international blues festival, bringing world-class live music to the city centre this March.

The one-day event will take place on 28 March at Northern Meeting Park, with performances staged in a large, big-top-style tent at the recently refurbished venue. Organisers say the festival will welcome up to 8,000 people, marking one of the largest live music events Inverness has hosted in recent years.

International blues comes to the Highlands

The inaugural line-up features blues artists from across the UK and overseas, including Grammy Award-nominated Southern Avenue from Memphis, UK blues award winner Alice Armstrong, and Chicago’s West Weston’s Bluesonics.

Other acts set to appear include Alvin Youngblood Hart and The Future Shape of Sound.

Festival organisers say the programme has been designed to appeal to both dedicated blues fans and those seeking a major live music event in Inverness.

A boost for Inverness and local businesses

The festival is being supported by the Inverness Common Good Fund, with organisers hopeful it could become a regular fixture in the city’s events calendar.

Festival artistic director Kevin Hillier said the aim was to bring a high-quality international line-up to the Highlands while also promoting Inverness as a cultural destination. He said: “we are taking this Festival back to the Blues Festivals of old with some of the best international Blues acts seen together in the UK for some time.”

Provost of Inverness Glynis Campbell Sinclair said the event was welcome news for the city, particularly for the hospitality and business sector.

She added, “Our Blues Festival promises a first-class collection of international acts travelling predominantly from America, to perform at the Inverness Northern Meeting Park.”

Live music in Inverness city centre

Northern Meeting Park, located near Inverness city centre, has recently undergone refurbishment and is increasingly used for large-scale public events. Hosting an international music festival at the venue is seen as a further step in strengthening Inverness’s offer as a destination for live events in the Highlands.

With an international line-up, city-centre location and backing from local organisations, the festival represents a significant moment for live music in Inverness - and could signal the start of a new annual event for the city.