The 27th annual Columbia Pike Blues Festival plans to shine a spotlight on female musicians as this year’s headliners.
Stretching across multiple blocks, the festival — scheduled for June 15 — is set to offer its usual mix of performances, local food and drink, and family-friendly entertainment.
What sets this year’s celebration apart is its exclusive lineup of women musicians, all paying homage to the legacy and influence of female blues artists.
“This year the Festival celebrates women in blues with a lineup of all-women-fronted bands offering a full array of blues, R&B, and funk performers of national and regional note,” an email announcement said.
Taking center stage at the festival is Brooklyn native Bette Smith, a soul artist whose musical journey traces back to the gospel tunes she sang in church, infusing her soulful sound with spiritual roots.
In addition to being inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame in 2012, Smith — otherwise known as Sharon Meriel Kathleen Smith — has worked with several famous blues, jazz, rock and country musicians, including Jimbo Mathus, Kirk Fletcher, Luther Dickinson and Patterson Hood.
Smith is also gearing up to release her third album, “Goodthing,” next month with with Grammy-winning UK producer Jimmy Hogarth just a few weeks before the festival kicks off.
Blues artists Eden Brent, Mama Moon & The Rump Shakers, The Stacey Brooks Band and The Honeylarks are also set to perform.
“Mark your calendar,” the festival’s website says. “This free outdoor music event sees thousands of residents and visitors come together each year in South Arlington.”
The outdoor music event is free to the public and made possible through sponsorship from the Columbia Pike Partnership and Arlington Cultural Affairs.