Myakka River Blues Festival

Don’t miss the 9th Annual Myakka River Blues Festival at Snook Haven, located at 5000 East Venice Avenue in Venice, Fla., on Memorial Day - Monday, May 31st. Rain or shine, the festival will be rockin' along the River from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Snook Haven, sitting smack dab on the Myakka River in a beautifully quaint Old Florida setting, is a perfect venue for this annual festival.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Venice Challenger Baseball, a non-profit adaptive baseball league designed for children and adults with special needs.

Admission is $10. Ticket sales will be limited to a maximum of 600 to keep audience size minimal and allow adequate spacing for social distancing. If tickets are still available the day of the event, they can be purchased at the door for $20.

The lineup for this year’s festival will appeal to all audiences, with styles from Western New York, Americana and crossover blues to everything in between:

11:30 – 12:30 Steve Arvey, Rooster & Broccoli

1:00 – 2:30 Tommy Z

3:00 – 4:30 Dottie Kelly

4:45 – 5:30 Finale Jam Session, Featuring All Musicians

Steve Arvey, Rooster & Broccoli will open the festival on the Main Stage from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The trio is made up of Arvey on Cigar Box Guitar, percussionist Steve Linden (whose drum is made of broccoli) and Rick “Rooster” Arrighi on harmonica. Arvey, a regular and fan-favorite Snook Haven musical act, began his career playing the Chicago blues circuit in the 1970s. During that time, he shared the stage with many of the legendary blues masters from the Windy City. Now living in Florida, he’s a fixture at major festivals and nightclubs throughout the South, Caribbean and Europe. Considered one of the top Cigar Box guitar players in the world, Steve recently joined the likes of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy as a Lace Pickup Endorsee.

Next up will be Tommy Z, a contemporary blues artist and radio host from Buffalo, New York. He has been described as a "blues treasure," according to Jim Santella of Buffalo News, and "one of WNY's best kept secrets," said Sarah French of Blues Matters Magazine. He's a guitar-driven, electric blues-based stylist onstage but, in the studio, he composes a variety of music. Tommy Z has been recognized for numerous awards over the years, including winning the Muddy Waters Award for "Artist of the Year" by the Blues Society of Western New York in 2004, being voted a three-time Top Blues Vocalist and being honored as a whopping seven-time Top Blues Guitarist. He was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame in 2007. He will play from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Festival headliner Dottie Kelly will then perform on the Main Stage with a bold mix of funky soul rockin' blues. She will play from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on the Main Stage.

To finish out the day along the River, all artists will take the stage from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. for a Finale Jam Session.

“This is the ninth year of the festival and we’re beyond excited to bring such a fantastic blues lineup to Venice," Justin Pachota, Co-Owner and President of Venice Pier Group, said. "Everyone – no matter your age or music preference – will enjoy the show."

Pachota, along with Co-Owner and Vice President of Venice Pier Group Mike Pachota, host the event each year in tribute to Snook Haven’s rich history of music and live entertainment. Last year’s Myakka River Blues Festival was postponed due to COVID-19.

Nestled “smack dab” on the Myakka River in the middle of good ‘ole Florida, Snook Haven’s specialties include in-house smoked meats, homemade BBQ sauces, fresh seafood, an extensive list of local and domestic draft brews and a wild calendar of live entertainment. Snook Haven is located at 5000 East Venice Ave. in Venice, Fla., and can be reached at 941-485-7221. Visit the restaurant’s website at www.snookhaven.com for more information.

Event Venue

Snook Haven, 5000 East Venice Avenue, Venice, United States