Louie Bluie Music & Arts Festival

Join us on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, for a celebration of roots music and folk art and crafts in Appalachia as the Campbell Culture Coalition's - "Louie Bluie: Music & Arts Festival" returns to Campbell County in East Tennessee! There are no admission fees but donations are appreciated (at the gate or Click Here!). 

This year’s festival is a double headliner: the Jake Leg Stompers, and 5-string banjoist Tray Wellington!

Jake Leg Stompers is a band that specializes in last century’s party music. A self-dubbed “jug band,” the Jake Leg Stompers present pre-war roots music on period instruments in lively, authentic styles. The Stompers capture the rebellious spirit of pre-1941 American music from Memphis Jug bands to Appalachian Hillbilly to Fats Waller – when folk music was still considered dangerous. 

Tray Wellington plays diverse genres such as traditional and progressive bluegrass, jazz, blues, rock, and more.  Tray has gone on to play with some of the most accomplished musicians in the world.  Before reaching the age of 21, he has received a number of awards, including two from IBMA (2019 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year, and 2019 Momentum Band of the Year with Cane Mill Road).

Check back to learn others who will perform as our programming progresses!

Inspired by Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, the 501c3 non-profit Campbell Culture Coalition created the Louie Bluie: Music & Arts Festival in 2007. This music and arts festival brings together the strongest, most outstanding, musicians & artists across various genres on the upswing of their careers. Follow us on Facebook and other social media platforms, to learn who our headliner(s) and other performers will be. 

Music fills the air with two stages on the festival grounds and a third stage at a nearby restaurant (also on the festival grounds).

The festival takes place at Cove Lake State Park in Caryville, a town in the heart of mountain music country. Historically, Campbell County is a place steeped in music, and today is no different. It’s the home of Howard Armstrong, the festival’s namesake, who grew up in LaFollette during the 1920s and was an incredibly talented man. Howard was an artist, a storyteller and a writer who played fiddle, mandolin and guitar.

His entire family was musically gifted. Armstrong was the recipient of the 1990 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts and played at Carnegie Hall.

This festival celebrates Armstrong’s contribution to the arts while encouraging musicians and artists to hone their own talents.

The festival also features: Crafters whose work shows originality, craftsmanship, quality of design, and appropriateness to the Appalachian tradition; food vendors to keep 6000 - 8,000 visitors from going hungry; judged art and quilt exhibits; and is kid-friendly.  Food and Maker's may visit louiebluie.org to register online.

To include everyone - Free and generous parking with designated handicap areas are available.  

Join us as we welcome the festival back in 2022. We will be following the COVID-19 situation and may need to make changes or adjustments. Visit our website louiebluie.org for updates and more details!  

See you September 24, 2022!