Columbia Pike Blues Festival Returns With Variety Of Music, Food, Beer

ARLINGTON, VA — The Columbia Pike Partnership is hosting its 25th Blues Festival on Saturday, June 18, with vocalist Shemekia Copeland, the 2021 Blues Foundation “Entertainer of the Year,” headlining the outdoor event.

The festival, the first one since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place on S. Walter Reed Drive from Columbia Pike to 9th Street S. and will run from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The festival will feature a Juneteenth Walk to commemorate the holiday.

Along with Shemekia Copeland, the festival will showcase a variety of blues, R&B and funk performers, including Eric Scott, Robbin Kapsalis & Vintage #18, Shakin’ Woods and Anthony “Swamp Dog” Clark.

Each year, 9th Rd. S. becomes Art Alley. The Arlington Art Truck offers interactive art exhibits and art activities, and the Columbia Pike Documentary Project will display photos from their collection.

The grassy area in front of Fillmore Garden Apartments on the east side of S. Walter Reed Drive will include a KidZone, where children can enjoy a moon bounce, face painter and lawn games.

Aside from the music, one of the best parts of the Columbia Pike Blues Festival is the food and drink. The festival will include a variety of foods from local restaurants and food trucks. The beer selection will be supplied by New District Brewing Company, and the wine list will be curated by local restaurant Rincome Thai.

On Sunday, June 19, the public also can enjoy a Historic Juneteenth Walk through the neighborhood in collaboration with the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington and Walk Arlington. The walk begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Towers Park, 801 S. Scott St. in Arlington.