WHEELING — Waterfront Productions this week announced the lineup for next summer’s Heritage Music BluesFest, returning to Heritage Port in Wheeling Aug. 7-9, 2026.

The three-day music festival overlooking the Ohio River in downtown Wheeling will feature St. Paul and the Broken Bones, JJ Grey & Mofro, Eddie 9V, Eric Gales, Judith Hill, Anders Osborne, Sonny Landreth, JD Simo & Luther Dickinson, Ally Venable, Taj Farrant and many more.

This past summer, Heritage Music BluesFest founder Bruce Wheeler announced that he would be passing the torch on the popular annual festival after 25 years.

Dan Milleson, owner of Waterfront Productions and Waterfront Hall in Wheeling, took over ownership of Heritage Music BluesFest, and the Waterfront team have already taken the wheel in anticipation of next year’s big event.

“We’re approaching this festival with the same risk-taking and attention-to-atmosphere that was required to create Waterfront Hall,” Milleson said.

“One example of this is a new second stage with 14 artists of all genres performing at the south end of Heritage Port. And we have a lot more surprises in store for anyone who buys the ticket.”

The festival also promises to feature newly improved culinary experiences, an artists’ market and more.

Other main stage artists scheduled to perform at the 2026 event include Cristina Vane, Buffalo Nichols, Adrian Niles, Marc Ridge, Gracie Curran, Miss Freddye and others.

In total, the expanded 2026 festival will feature more than 29 artists performing on two stages, making it one of the largest lineups in BluesFest history. The second stage will feature 14 regional artists from multiple genres under a circus tent.

Waterfront Productions collaborated with Outland Presents to book talent for next year’s festival.

“We’re very excited to continue the tradition of Heritage Music BluesFest and to work with Waterfront to provide premier entertainment,” said Kyle Knox, owner of Outland Presents. “This is an event that will continue to attract fans from across the country.”

Tickets for general, three-day passes to the 2026 Heritage Music BluesFest go on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Festival VIP and Canopy Passes will be available beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, November 14. For tickets and additional information, visit www.heritagemusicfest.com.

Additional information about next year’s festival can also be found on the event’s official social media sites. Check the Heritage Music BluesFest pages on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.