05/28/2025
Gale Myers, chairman of the 34th Annual W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival that takes place this June 11-14 in Audubon Mill Park, spoke about this popular free festival. It is named for Handy, considered the Father of the Blues, who lived in Henderson from 1892 to the turn of the last century.
The Handy Fest has grown “from its humble beginnings on a flatbed trailer to a professional stage with jumbo video screens,” Gale noted. An estimated 30,000 attend the event over four nights and two days. It remains free thanks to sponsors, sales of soft drinks and T-shirts, the red beans-and-rice night on Thursday, a half pot, bucket shakes & other means. The festival is put on by an all-volunteer group that meets on the third Thursday of each month at Rookies; Gale invited anyone interested to attend meetings & serve on committees.
Lion Steve Gold, a longtime Handy volunteer, said surveys indicate the majority of attendees come from more than 50 miles away, and two-thirds spend the night in the area. Gale said hotels are already booked up.
Steve said attendees say they spend an average of $185 per person here during the Handy Festival week. Multiplied by a conservative estimated attendance of 20,000, that indicates an economic impact of more than $3.7 million.
During his years volunteering for Handy, “I’ve met people from Australia and Germany. We get a lot from Chicago. Next year will be the 35th (festival). We’re really going to blow it out.”
For more information, visit www.HandyBlues.org
