TRINIDADDIO BLUES FEST IS BACK!

Beloved Free Festival Returns to Downtown Trinidad This August After Four-Year Hiatus

TRINIDAD, CO — After a four-year absence, the Trinidaddio Blues Fest is officially returning to the heart of Trinidad, Colorado this August. The Board of Directors of Trinidaddio Blues Fest, a Colorado charitable nonprofit organization, is thrilled to announce that planning is underway for what promises to be another world-class celebration of blues music, community, and culture.

The festival’s return follows productive conversations between the Trinidaddio Blues Fest Board of Directors and Tara Marshall, City Manager for the City of Trinidad. The City of Trinidad has stepped up with financial support and the use of city infrastructure — making this revival possible.

“We are incredibly grateful to Tara Marshall and the City of Trinidad for their partnership and belief in this event,” said Jerry Campbell, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of Trinidaddio Blues Fest. “Trinidaddio has always been more than a music festival — it’s a celebration of who we are as a community, and we are thrilled to bring it back.”

Event Details:

Date: August 2026 (weekend before Labor Day)

Location: Central Business District of Trinidad, at the intersection of Main and Convent Streets

Admission: FREE to the public

Organizers are excited to announce the following tentative performers for the 2026 festival:

Vanessa Collier

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Vanessa Collier is one of the most decorated artists in contemporary blues. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, she launched her career touring with blues legend Joe Louis Walker before embarking on a celebrated solo career. Collier is a 15-time Blues Music Award (BMA) nominee and 5-time winner, including:

• BMA Horn Player of the Year: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025
• BMA Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year: 2022
• BMA nominations for B. King Entertainer of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year

Her sixth album, Do It My Own Way (2024, Phenix Fire Records), earned a BMA nomination for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. Described by Living Blues Magazine as having “indisputable virtuosity” and by the Boston Globe as “scorching…infectious,” Collier made her Chicago Blues Festival debut this year before tens of thousands of fans.

Selwyn Birchwood

Tampa, Florida-based guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Selwyn Birchwood is one of the most dynamic and original voices in modern blues. A multiple Blues Music Award nominee, he has been recognized for his explosive guitar work, raw songwriting, and high-energy live performances. Birchwood released his debut on Alligator Records to widespread critical acclaim and has since built a loyal international following. His latest album, Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues, is his first fully self-produced full-length record

— 10 original songs showcasing his signature blend of swamp funk, R&B, and deep blues. He has performed at major blues festivals across the United States and Europe and is widely regarded as a standard-bearer of the next generation of blues artists.

Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport

At just 19 years old, Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport of Vicksburg, Mississippi is already one of the most talked-about rising stars in the blues world. A multi-instrumentalist who began playing harmonica and guitar at age seven, he has been called a “fat-toned harmonica phenom” with the poise of a veteran. His accolades include:

• Blues Blast Magazine Sean Costello Rising Star Award: Nominated 2024 & 2025
• SPAH Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year Award: Nominated 2025
• Featured on the cover of Living Blues Magazine (May/June 2026)

His first Chicago performance went viral with 165,000 Facebook views and 4,000 shares. He has appeared at the Notodden Blues Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival, Chicago Bluesfest (2025), and Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club. Blues legend Billy Branch says: “In my 46 years of teaching Blues in Schools, never have I encountered anyone as young as Harrell Davenport with such a laser-focused drive and ability to play the blues.”

Dave Specter

Chicago guitarist Dave Specter is a cornerstone of the Chicago blues scene with a recording career spanning over 35 years on the legendary Delmark Records label. His most recent release, Live at SPACE (Delmark, 2025), is his 13th album for the label and has received rave reviews from critics worldwide. Career highlights include:

• Living Blues Album of the Year nomination
• Downbeat Magazine Editor’s Pick and 4-Star Review
• #1 on NACC Radio Charts (college and community radio nationwide)
• #1 on Living Blues Radio Charts
• Soul Bag Magazine (France) 5-Star Review

Described by Chicago Blues Guide as “among the pantheon of great modern blues musicians,” Specter has collaborated with Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna and has been featured in Vintage Guitar, Downbeat, and Blues Blast Magazine.

Zakk DeBono and The Broken Circle

Trinidad, Colorado’s own Zakk DeBono is a rising blues-rock guitarist making noise well beyond his hometown. DeBono is an official D’Addario artist and has collaborated in Hollywood with Tony Valentino of The Standells — the rock legend behind the iconic anthem “Dirty Water” — who called Zakk “the best new thing music has to offer.” DeBono is scheduled to headline the Friday Night stage at Trinidaddio Blues Fest this year and has performed at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood and Stone Brewing’s Sunset Sessions in San Diego. His 2026 EPK and recording project with Valentino are generating significant industry buzz.

Ken Saydak

A native of Chicago with a 50-year career as a musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer, Ken Saydak is a Delmark and Evidence Records recording artist now based in southern Colorado. He is the pianist, organist, and accordionist on over 70 albums by national and international artists, and has shared stages and studio sessions with Johnny Winter, Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Lonnie Brooks, Willie Kent, Lurrie Bell, and many more. His touring career has taken him to concert and festival stages on four continents, including Europe, Israel, South Africa, and Japan. Saydak’s critically acclaimed recordings include Love Without Trust and Foolish Man (Delmark Records), It’s My Soul (Evidence Records), and the live series Live in La Veta Vols. 1 & 2. He also produced Zora Young’s Delmark release Learned My Lesson and Bob Stroger’s solo debut recorded live at the Lucerne Blues Festival. Billboard Magazine called him “a gripping frontman,” while Soul Bag Magazine (Paris) described him as “a worthy heir to Otis Spann.” Saydak currently hosts The Trinidaddio Blues Hours, a two-hour weekly blues radio program on KCRT-FM in Trinidad, Colorado.

The Delta Sonics featuring Al Chesis

Denver’s Delta Sonics, led by harmonica master Al Chesis, are one of Colorado’s most celebrated blues bands. The Denver Post has called them “the area’s best harmonica-led band,” and their trophy case is among the fullest in the state:

• Westword Magazine “Best Blues Band in Denver”: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Colorado Blues Society “Favorite Blues Band”: 2023, 2024, 2026
• Colorado Blues Society “Favorite Blues Duo”: 2023, 2024, 2026
• Colorado Blues Society “Favorite CD” 2026 for Concrete Hotel
• Al Chesis — Colorado Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award: 2022
• Al Chesis — Hohner Harmonica endorsee since 1992
• International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist, Memphis: 2012

The Delta Sonics have recorded with Blues Hall of Famer Bob Margolin and continue to be one of the most sought-after blues acts on the Front Range.

Jaquie Gipson

Trinidad, Colorado’s own Jaquie Gipson is a gifted acoustic guitarist whose unique style blends melodic two-hand tapping and percussion techniques with traditional fingerstyle playing — a style known as “Touche Guitar.” Performing on both six- and twelve-string acoustic guitar, Gipson has released four studio albums: Just Guitar, Home Town, Images, and Through the Wood. A beloved local artist, her presence on the Trinidaddio stage represents the deep musical roots of the Trinidad community.

*Lineup is tentative and subject to change. Additional announcements will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.*

Vendors and artists interested in participating can look for applications coming soon at www.trinidaddiobluesfest.com.

Trinidaddio Blues Fest is a free community event, made possible through the generosity of sponsors, partners, and individual supporters. Donations are gratefully accepted at: Please Donate Here

“Yes, we’re putting this together on an eleventh-hour timeline,” Campbell added, “but if there’s one thing Trinidaddio has always proven, it’s that this community shows up. Trinidaddio 2026 is going to be another world-class event — mark your calendars.”

Stay connected for lineup announcements and more at www.trinidaddiobluesfest.com

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Trinidaddio Blues Fest is a Colorado charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing world-class blues music to the community of Trinidad, Colorado.