Millions of tourists from 25 different countries around the world travel to Clarksdale, Mississippi to enjoy the 13th annual Juke Joint Festival.
Juke Joint festival co-founder and owner of Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art (“Mississippi’s Blues Store”), Roger Stoller, is busy at work making sure the festival and his store run smoothly.
“Hidden History of Mississippi Blues,” Roger Stolle’s first book published in 2011 sits upon a shelf with an advertisement card for the new television series he will be co-hosting, “Moon Shine & Mojo Hands.”
Roger Stolle’s store, Cat Heads, showcases hundreds of albums, magazines, and articles containing new and old news about what is happening in the blues industry.
Tourists stand on Delta Avenue outside Roger Stolle’s store Cat Heads listening to one of the festivals many musical acts, The Rolling Tides.
Originally from Syria, Razan and Alhusain moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi five years ago and now sell their homemade baklava on the streets of the Juke Joint festival for the second year in a row.
Alhusain, baklava chef, told us about her festival experience, “My favorite part of the festival is meeting new people and watching the festival get bigger and bigger.”
Blues Berry Cafe and Bakery, located at 235 Yazoo Avenue in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is a local favorite that has been around for 11 years and is known for their weekend special, “breakfast and blues.”
Amanda Crivaro, the owner’s daughter and cafe manager, tells us that the Juke Joint festival is the cafe’s biggest source of income and one of the only reasons it remains open.
Just across the street from Blues Berry Cafe are multiple abandoned building and proof that some stores and restaurants can’t handle the dead times of the year between the festivals.
Jo and Ron Willett set up shop for the second year in a row selling their homemade house decor made of everything from old license plates and bottle caps to marbles and broken mirrors.
Shown are some of Jo and Ron Willett’s favorite pieces, the guitars, which take the couple about four hours to make from start to finish.
Miss Del’s General Store, located on Delta Avenue, holds a range of things we “all need more of in our lives.” Some products are local, and some are found around the world and brought here to Mississippi for all to enjoy.
Walk right through Miss Del’s General Store and out the side door onto it’s beautiful garden filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables, plants, and garden accessories for sale year round.
Although the Juke Joint festival has come a long way over the years, Roger Stolle would like to see people stay longer and hopes to turn the festival into a week long event rather than just four days long.
