Juke Joint Festival 2025
Music & Activities all Week in downtown Clarksdale!
River Update: latest river gages suggest that our wild flooding muddy river is a flooding a little slower (and a little lower) than anticipated last weekend, at least in this stretch of river. At Helena, the crest has been downgraded to 45.5 (a foot lower), but on same date April 16th. This is still a major rise, 1.5 feet higher than flood stage, and the highest we have experienced since 2019. I have been exploring, and will share some photos and videos by end of week. Fascinating water conditions! That said, everything below the mouth of the Arkansas River is still rising fast, and will crest much higher than above, in relation to flood stage (FS). Natchez will see a 54' crest (6 feet above FS), Red River Landing 57' (9 feet above FS), and Baton Rouge 40.5' (4.5 feet above FS). A "state of emergency" has been declared in Vicksburg, where it will crest at 48 on April 20th, 5 feet above their flood stage of 43. Why is the Red River so much higher than the others? Maybe this is due to the Lower Arkansas delivering all of that torrential rainfall that filled Ozark and Ouchita Mountain tributaries, where 10-15 inches of rain fell? The bottom of the river has an effect also. According to Jim Barnett (author of Beyond Control: The Mississippi River’s New Channel to the Gulf of Mexico), the bottom of the Mississippi River is getting higher in elevation in this stretch of river (Vicksburg down to St. Francisville LA), subsequently making for higher rises (and higher lows). More updates tomorrow.
It's Juke Joint week! See festival schedule here. In participation, we'll be hosting one of the music stage downtown, on Saturday April 12th, in patio next to canoe company. We'll also be giving tours or our Canoe-Carving Workshop, and conducting a Prayer Flag Workshop.
Juke Joint Festival 2025 Music & Activities at the Quapaw Canoe Company: Thursday-Saturday, April 10th-12th *Sunflower River Camping *Canoe-Carving Demonstration & Workshop *27th Anniversary Prayer Flag Workshop Saturday, April 12th *Quapaw Canoe Company Outdoor Stage* 10:30 am The Deltaz 12:00 pm Little Joe McLerran 1:30 pm Layla Musselwhite 3:00 pm Prayer Bailey 4:30 pm Lightnin' Malcolm All events will meet & take place street level 3rd & Sunflower in downtown Clarksdale all day 9 - 4pm every day Thursday April 10th – Saturday April 12th, 2023. For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company or info@island63.com, Ceili Hale 601-918-6810, Mark “River” Peoples 662-902-6479, or John Ruskey 662-902-7841 ***Winners of the 2024 SBA Small Business of the Year Award***
Juke Joint Festival 2025
Quapaw Canoe Company Stage
10:30 am
The Deltaz
Brothers John (Vocals, Harmonica, Drums) and Ted Siegel (Vocals, Guitar) make up The Deltaz, a Blues Americana duo from Nashville, Tennesessee. The Deltaz have spent their hours rigorously touring, headlining shows across the country, regularly touring in Europe, while attracting the attention of sonic peers such as alt-country act The White Buffalo and Mississippi Blues legend Watermelon Slim, playing with both on several occasions The Deltaz have had their music placed on CMT and MTV television shows and most recently The Deltaz had their song "Wild Mustang" featured in a film directed by Edward James Olmos, "The Devil Has a Name", recorded as a duet with vocal rock legend Bonnie Bramlett (Eric Clapton, Leon Russell). Since The Deltaz have settled into Nashville they’ve become a staple in their neighborhood of Leipers Fork regularly performing at Fox & Locke and in 2021 at Franklin Tennessee’s Pilgrimage Festival.
https://thedeltaz.com/electronic-press-kit-epk
12:00 pm
Little Joe McLerran
Little Joe McLerran and his family band. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Joe_McLerran Joe is known around the world as a master of the Piedmont guitar style. He will be joined by his unbelievably talented family which includes his 11 year old prodigy son, Johnny . Really something to hear and see.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Joe_McLerran
1:30 pm
Layla Musselwhite
Layla Musselwhite is a New Orleans-based singer songwriter and slide guitarist who draws on a rich musical legacy via her father, blues legend Charlie Musselwhite. Layla grew up on the road steeped in the music of the greatest artists of our time including Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Big Mama Thornton & John Lee Hooker. While her music spans rhythm & blues, blues rock, folk, and soul, the touchstone is always the same - a deep understanding and respect for the early rhythms and melodies at the heart of the blues.
https://www.laylamusselwhite.com/
3:00 pm
Prayer Bailey
Prayer Bailey is a Horn Lake, Mississippi-based blues singer and instrumentalist... and a return act to Juke Joint Festival.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557997229578
4:30 pm
Lightnin' Malcolm
North Mississippi Hill Country blues boogieman Lightnin' Malcolm (usually with his trusty sidekick Prayer Bailey on drums and second vocals) has been a fixture at juke joints like Red's Lounge (and yard parties like ol' RL Boyce used to throw) for years and years. He's also played on stage or in studio with everyone from Big George Brock and RL Boyce to Hubert Sumlin and CeDell Davis.
https://lightninmalcolm.com/home
April 9-13, 2025 Important Update for Juke Joint Campers 2025: Good morning 2025 Juke Joint Campers! You have probably heard about the 1,000 year rainfall storms that hit us in early April. Due to extreme rainfall last week, and minor flooding waters along the Sunflower River in Downtown Clarksdale, camping space is a tighter than usual. Everyone will need to camp as close as possible, and not take up any more room than is necessary for your campsite. If you seek more room, and more privacy, please camp in the alternate locations listed below. Note: the Sunflower River has crested and is now falling. So what is now dry will remain dry. Pick out your spot anywhere along the river, and you will be fine. Also, no rain in forecast this weekend. Nothing but sunny days, and cool clear nights! Perfect weather! #1 Main Site and #2 sites are unaffected. #3 Soldier’s Field site (34.20633, -90.57847) has dry campsites around parking area, most are located uphill of parking. Go to location and walk around to choose site. The lower areas near river all flooded, and will be wet & muddy. If you seek more privacy: we have added several additional walk-in camping locations which are easily accessed just over the bridge from downtown Clarksdale (and all the juke joint events): #4 Playground Site below Oakhurst Intermediate School (walk-in site): park in open concrete lot near school and walk over riverbank and choose your tent location amongst the trees and picnic tables. (34.20163076647866, -90.57709076800626). See below for complete listing of campsite locations. Thank you in advance for your understanding and consideration of your fellow campers — with this unusual rainfall event we have suffered through! Sincerely yours, Any questions, please call campsite director Ceili at 601-918-6810 or Mark River 662-902-6479. CAMPSITE LOCATIONS: Choose from 4 Camping Locations: #1 Main site: Behind Quapaw Canoe Company 34.201735, -90.576192 Down Concrete Ramp leading to Sunflower River on North side of our canoe base building at 3rd & Sunflower (289 Sunflower Avenue, Clarksdale, MS) 10-20 sites, depending on layout. Don’t park on road please! #2 3rd & Sunflower site: 34.2009, -90.57563 Grassy spaces along Sunflower Avenue, south of Quapaw Canoe Company, 289 Sunflower Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 5-8 sites, depending on layout. Parking area nearby. #3 Soldier’s Field: 34.20633, -90.57847 Beautiful site, in nearby quiet residential neighborhood, across Sunflower River in downtown Clarksdale. Features off street parking, and a big open field to choose camp location. Type in “Soldier’s Field” to your mobile map function, or use GPS below, and follow directions. 20-30 sites, depending on layout. Parking lot on location. #4 Playground Site: 34.20163, -90.5770 (walk-in site) Park in open concrete lot near school and walk over riverbank and choose your tent location amongst the trees and picnic tables. Campsites along river directly across from main campsite, below Oakhurst Intermediate School. More Details Available Dates: Wednesday April 9th to Sunday April 13th, 2025 In partnership with the Clarksdale Police Dept Quapaw Canoe Company is offering bathroom and shower access to persons camping along banks of Sunflower River in the City Park around our facility and in other places downtown. Bathroom and shower access is $25/tent/night for 2 people, $10 each additional person/night. Proceeds generated are split with our partners the Clarksdale Police Dept. Bring your own tent and sleeping bags. Don’t park on asphalt drive which the police use for access. Camping is in grassy areas of City Park to north of ramp, and any flat grassy places down along the river. Please don’t block gravel road access to Canoe Company. No open fires, but camp stoves, hibachis or small personal-sized BBQ okay. No smoking (city ordinance in public places). Payment Methods Payment is required in advance. Our online booking & payment system is being redesigned, so in the meantime, please pay online via PayPal or Venmo. There will be a 9% tax added to all payments (7% State + 2% Tourism) and an additional 3% charge + .49⍧ transaction fee added to PayPal payments. PayPal: paypal.me/quapawcanoecompany Venmo: @John-Ruskey-1 For more information contact Quapaw Canoe Company at info@island63.com OR quapawceili@gmail.com. Any questions, call Ceili at 601-918-6810 or Mark River 662-902-6479. Thank you! Quapaw Canoe Company
Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 965
"Voice of the Lower Mississippi River"
Vicksburg, MS ~ Memphis, TN ~ Clarksdale, MS ~ Wilson, AR
Quapaw Canoe Company ~ Celebrating 27 Years of Service ~
~Winner of the SBA 2024 Small Business of the Year Award~