Gator By The Bay 2026: Full Schedule

5:40pm PDT

Friday May 8, 2026 5:40pm - 6:50pm PDT

Artists

Lady Dottie and the Diamonds

Lady Dottie & the Diamonds perform covers of songs by Etta James, Muddy Waters, BB King, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, the Staple Singers, Sam and Dave, Ray Charles, Howling Wolf, and so many more. Originally a gospel singer, Dorothy Mae "Lady Dottie" Whitsett's early career included... Read More →

Friday May 8, 2026 5:40pm - 6:50pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

7:00pm PDT

Bill Magee

Friday May 8, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Performance and San Diego Blueshouter Award 2026 Presentation

Artists

Bill Magee

Receiving the Blueshouter Award is long-time San Diego blues great Bill Magee. The Bill Magee Blues Band is a perennial favorite at Gator By the Bay and an icon of the local blues scene. In fact, it has been said that Bill Magee literally “channels the blues!” Born in the backwoods... Read More →

Friday May 8, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

8:20pm PDT

The Chris Fast Band

Friday May 8, 2026 8:20pm - 9:20pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Artists

Chris Fast

The Chris Fast Band is a high energy, traditional, four-piece Chicago Blues band with a great West Coast blues sound. With a reputation as one of the swinging-est bands in Southern California, the Chris Fast Band is a group of seasoned professionals, up to the task of pleasing the... Read More →

Friday May 8, 2026 8:20pm - 9:20pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

8:50pm PDT

Casey Hensley with Anthony Cullins

Friday May 8, 2026 8:50pm - 10:00pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

Anthony Cullins

The first time Anthony Cullins, AKA “The Fallbrook Kid”, played at Gator By the Bay, he was a 15 year old guitar prodigy. He first picked up a guitar at age 10, and these days his primary musical influences are R&B, funk, soul, rock, jazz, and blues, prominently displayed in his... Read More →

Casey Hensley

Casey Hensley embodies the essence of contemporary blues with her distinctive musical style, characterized by a voice rich with emotion and authenticity. Her combination of soulful melodies and dynamic phrasing, while drawing inspiration from classic blues, soul, and rock and roll... Read More →

Friday May 8, 2026 8:50pm - 10:00pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

12:40pm PDT

Robin Henkel

Saturday May 9, 2026 12:40pm - 1:30pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Smackin' the Dobro

Artists

Robin Henkel

Robin Henkel performs blues with an intensity rarely seen in Southern California. Drawing from the styles of Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell and Elmore James, Robin has molded his own intense and entertaining personal style. Robin’s performances often include stories and anecdotes... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 12:40pm - 1:30pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

2:00pm PDT

Mercedes Moore

Saturday May 9, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

Mercedes Moore

Mercedes Moore is a dynamic vocalist celebrated for soulful performances rooted in blues, jazz, and rhythm & blues traditions. A longtime fixture of the San Diego music scene, Moore combines powerful vocals with expressive stage presence, drawing from classic American blues heritage... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

3:30pm PDT

John Németh & Johnny Vernazza

Saturday May 9, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

Mardi Gras Stage

Artists

John Németh

As a teenager in the early ‘90s growing up in the muddy potato fields of Idaho, John Németh was drawn to the hard-edged hip hop sounds and rock bands of the day, until a friend, Tom Moore, introduced him to the Junior Wells and Buddy Guy classic “Hoodoo Man Blues.” Together... Read More →

Johnny Vernazza

San Diego’s own Johnny "V" has a long history of playing guitar with such blues greats as Luther Tucker and Sunnyland Slim, rock & roll Legend Chuck Berry, Steve "Guitar" Miller, Greg Allman, George Thorogood, Charlie Daniels, Norton Buffalo, Commander Cody & the Lost Planet Airmen... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
Mardi Gras Stage

Blues

4:40pm PDT

Salty Papa

Saturday May 9, 2026 4:40pm - 5:40pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Tribute to New Orleans Soul

Artists

Salty Papa

Formed in the Deep South in the early ’90s and seasoned on both Gulf Coast back porches and Pacific shores, Salty Papa blends Southern soul grit with laid-back California surf vibes.

Though rooted in Southern California, Salty Papa’s story runs deep through the South. Guitarist and bandleader Felix Wohlleben calls New Orleans home, while drummer and vocalist Tim Petersen sharpened his chops in Alabama playing behind blues legend Johnny Shines. Bassist Chris... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 4:40pm - 5:40pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

5:00pm PDT

Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra

Saturday May 9, 2026 5:00pm - 6:20pm PDT

Mardi Gras Stage

Artists

Sue Palmer

Known as the “Queen of Boogie Woogie,” pianist Sue Palmer is a legendary figure in the West Coast blues and swing scene. A San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductee, Palmer has spent decades preserving and performing classic boogie-woogie, jump blues, and swing piano traditions, collaborating... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 5:00pm - 6:20pm PDT
Mardi Gras Stage

Blues

6:00pm PDT

The 44's with Kid Ramos

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:00pm - 7:10pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

The 44s with Kid Ramos

The 44s are a Southern California blues band known for gritty electric blues rooted in Chicago and West Coast traditions. Featuring legendary blues guitarist Kid Ramos—renowned for his work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds and numerous blues icons—the group delivers authentic, high-energy... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:00pm - 7:10pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

7:30pm PDT

Fuzzy Rankins

Saturday May 9, 2026 7:30pm - 8:30pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

Farm Truck

Take a ride down American country roads on the most musical Farm Truck you’ve ever climbed aboard. Led by songwriter/vocalist Craig Fischer, the twin guitar attack of Tim Edwards and Mike Ashley, FARM TRUCK has established themselves as one of the premier Americana bands out of... Read More →

Saturday May 9, 2026 7:30pm - 8:30pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

11:30am PDT

Harmonica John

Sunday May 10, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Harmonica Workshop

Artists

Harmonica John

Sunday May 10, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

11:30am PDT

The Hep-Tights

Sunday May 10, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

The Hep-Tights

The Hep-Tights are a powerhouse quartet, weaving the rich textures of Blues, the sultry rhythms of Soul, and the raw energy of Rock n Roll. The band brings a fun, fresh vibe to their live performances, blending old-school cool with a modern edge.
With the soulful melodies of the saxophone, searing riffs of the guitar, and a driving rhythm section, they keep the pulse alive and grooving, drawing inspiration from the great blues rock innovators. The Hep-Tights proffer a unique fusion of genres, delivering both sophisticate... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

12:30pm PDT

Whitney Shay with Laura Chavez

Sunday May 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

Mardi Gras Stage

Artists

Laura Chavez

Powerhouse blues guitarist Laura Chavez has played with such luminaries as Candye Kane, The Mannish Boys, Vanessa Collier, Whitney Shay, Nikki Hill, and so many more. In 2023, Laura won the “Instrumentalist—Guitar” category at the Blues Music Awards, the first female guitarist... Read More →

Whitney Shay

Award-winning blues and soul singer Whitney Shay is recognized for her powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence. Drawing inspiration from classic R&B, blues, and early soul icons, Shay has toured internationally and earned multiple San Diego Music Awards. Her performances blend... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Mardi Gras Stage

Blues

1:50pm PDT

Kirk Fletcher & Erika Baier

Sunday May 10, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

Erika Baier

When Swedish blues singer-songwriter Erika Baier and American guitar virtuoso Kirk Fletcher share a stage, voice and guitar move as one. Their partnership brings together two lifelong blues journeys rooted in tradition.

Baier’s path began in southern Sweden, inspired by her father’s records and live blues festivals. She later formed Erika Baier and the Buzz, won the Scandinavian Blues Contest with 12 original songs, and released the acclaimed album How ’bout That (2018), building a reputation... Read More →

Kirk Fletcher

Sunday May 10, 2026 1:50pm - 2:50pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

3:00pm PDT

Billy Watson Band featuring Nathan James

Sunday May 10, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Artists

Billy Watson

Billy Watson is an entertainer extraordinaire, a magnetic stage personality capable of throwing down a blues show that can be infectiously hilarious and convincingly nasty. His energy as a frontman is relentless, his vocals inspiring, and his harp work musically outstanding. Billy's... Read More →

Nathan James

A full time musician since the age of 18, Nathan James has created a musical identity with his homemade instruments and self-taught skills, solely specializing in his passion for blues and American roots music. You might catch him armed with his handcrafted washboard guitar and stomping... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

3:50pm PDT

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

Sunday May 10, 2026 3:50pm - 5:10pm PDT

Mardi Gras Stage

Artists

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats are an acclaimed electric blues ensemble led by harmonica master and singer Rick Estrin, whose sharp-witted songwriting and charismatic stage presence have made him a fixture of modern blues. Estrin cut his teeth in the Bay Area and Chicago blues scenes... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 3:50pm - 5:10pm PDT
Mardi Gras Stage

Blues

5:50pm PDT

Vince Lee and Sophie Lord

Sunday May 10, 2026 5:50pm - 7:00pm PDT

Bayou Grove Stage

Artists

Sophie Lord

"Straight from Plymouth in the U.K. to the Bayou Grove stage, guitarist/vocalist Vince Lee and bassist Sophie Lord are returning to Gator By the Bay to bring us their vintage blues sound. With a style that touches on jump blues, calypso, swing & ragtime, the duo have gained a huge... Read More →

Vince Lee

Straight from Plymouth in the U.K. to the Bayou Grove stage, guitarist/vocalist Vince Lee and bassist Sophie Lord are returning to Gator By the Bay to bring us their vintage blues sound. With a style that touches on jump blues, calypso, swing & ragtime, the duo have gained a huge... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 5:50pm - 7:00pm PDT
Bayou Grove Stage

Blues

6:00pm PDT

Zavala Sol

Sunday May 10, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT

Bourbon Street Stage

Artists

Zavala Sol

Nominated for Best Blues Artist for the 2026 San Diego Music Awards, nominated for Best Blues Artist for the 2024 Blues Music Awards, and winners of the 2023 award to represent San Diego at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Zavala Sol is an eclectic Blues/Swing/Southern... Read More →

Sunday May 10, 2026 6:00pm - 7:00pm PDT
Bourbon Street Stage

Blues

5:40pm PDT

7:00pm PDT

8:20pm PDT

8:50pm PDT

12:40pm PDT

2:00pm PDT

3:30pm PDT

4:40pm PDT

5:00pm PDT

6:00pm PDT

7:30pm PDT

11:30am PDT

11:30am PDT

12:30pm PDT

1:50pm PDT

3:00pm PDT

3:50pm PDT

5:50pm PDT

6:00pm PDT

Get help with the event