Blue Front Café to celebrate 75th Anniversary. Details here

Kiara Fleming, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger
Updated ·2 min read

The historic Blue Front Café in Bentonia will celebrate its 75th anniversary this weekend with a line up of live blues performers that includes the café's owner and proprietor, Grammy-nominated bluesman Jimmy "Duck" Holmes.

The fun starts at noon Friday with an open mic followed by scheduled performers starting at 3 p.m. at the café in Bentonia, which is located about 30 miles northwest of Jackson just off of U.S. 49 at 107 W Railroad Ave., Bentonia. The fun continues Saturday with open mic beginning at noon and live scheduled performers starting at 3 p.m.

The Blue Front Café, established by Carey and Mary Holmes in 1948, has gained international fame among blues enthusiasts and is one of the oldest surviving blues joints in Mississippi.

"Blue Front Café has always been known to everyone as a juke joint," said Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, son of Carey and Mary Holmes, who has been operating the café since 1970. "My Mom and Dad opened this café when I was 1 year old so it's been a part of my entire life."

Jimmy "Duck" Holmes owner
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes owner

Once Holmes' parents turned the café over to him, he started organizing the Bentonia Blues Festival with live music in June 1972. This past June marked the 51st anniversary of the Bentonia Blues Festival.

In addition to live music performed by local artists, this weekend's festivities will include food prepared inside the café and a merchandise table selling Blue Front Café items.

"The food is going to be great this year, and we will have a little bit of everything that will accommodate every appetite," said Holmes, who will perform live both nights at the Blue Front Café.

Blue Front Cafe
Blue Front Cafe

If you go

When: Friday, Sept. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 16

Where: Blue Front Café 107 E Railroad Ave, Bentonia

Admission: Free

Time: Noon-until. Open mic will be from noon to 3 p.m. both days with scheduled performers starting at 3 p.m. both days.

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Tentative artist lineup starting 3 p.m. Friday:

  • WhiteBoy Jack

  • Little MS Soul

  • Megan May

  • Red meat Rhetoric

  • Mike Munson

  • Delta Get Down

  • Candice Ivory

  • Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots

  • Jimmy "Duck" Holmes

Tentative artist lineup starting 3 p.m. Saturday:

  • Red Meat Rhetoric

  • Libby Rea Watson

  • 19th Street Red

  • Jimmy "Duck" Holmes

  • The Delta Get Down

More: What performers are coming to the Mississippi State Fair in October? We have the details

Know an event coming up? Reporter Kiara Fleming can be reached via email KDFleming@jackson.gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Bentonia MS Blue Front Café to celebrate 75th Anniversary this weekend