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CLARKSDALE — The Juke Joint Festival returned to Clarksdale during the weekend, bringing musicians and visitors to the Mississippi Delta for three days of blues music and related culture.
The annual event is rooted in juke joints, venues central to the development of the Delta blues, and it highlights the region’s influence on American music.
“To play here means a lot to me,” Vicksburg native Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport said. “I’ve seen so many people that I know from all over the world here. When people say the blues brings people together, it really does. When everything in the world is going bad, it’s time to get together.”
Events took place across downtown Clarksdale, with daytime performances and street vendors and nighttime sets in clubs and juke joints. The festival blends live music, food and art while focusing on the music that defines the Delta.
“I’ve been coming to this for about as long as I’ve been alive,” Lindsey Campbell said. “Community and being able to come out and celebrate with everyone is what stands out to me.”
Crowds moved between stages and venues throughout the weekend as the festival underscored Clarksdale’s place in blues history and its ongoing role in preserving the genre. The festival is scheduled to return on April 17, 2027.
Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAudience members listen as Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayHarrell “Young Rell” Davenport performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Primer performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAudience members enjoy John Primer’s music during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayWill Coppage performs at Marty’s Barbershop during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayLogan Elliott plays a makeshift guitar during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySpit Cup and the Jukes performs at Marty’s Barbershop during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySpit Cup and the Jukes performs at Marty’s Barbershop during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAudience members stand in front a blues-inspired mural as Spit Cup and the Jukes perform during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMusic fans wait for Ghalia Volt to perform during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayGhalia Volt performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayBlues-inspired art is displayed in the window of a downtown Clarksdale business during the Juke Joint Festival on Friday, April 10, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJerry Little takes a look at the classic cars on display during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJerry Little poses for a photo during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayCarlos Elliot performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayPeople enjoy the festivities during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySir Rod and the Blues Doctors perform during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJimmy “Duck” Holmes performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayA line dance sessions takes place at the Griot Arts during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayEddie Mendoza, of Houston, plays guitar in an alley as people pass during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayDeejay Hustleman poses for photo during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayKenna Hawes, right, dances as Jesse Cotton Stone performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJesse Cotton Stone performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayOlivia Harding and Django Bonderman dance together as Jesse Cotton Stone performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayPeople enjoy the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayTerry “Big T” Williams performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayAnthony “Big A” Sherrod performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayA saxophonist performs with Anthony “Big A” Sherrod performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayGuitar Frenchie performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayA child rock climbs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayCash’s Juke Joint performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMartine Gumtree dances while listening to Cash’s Juke Joint performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayCash’s Juke Joint performs during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today
