The inaugural Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge kicks off Sunday, April 28 with the first of three preliminary rounds to be held at sponsoring venue The Muddy Waters, 1708 State Street in Bettendorf. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and features four competing bands – Harris Collection, the Chris Avey Band, the Jared Hughes Band and the Rock Island Rollers. Admission is $10, $7 for any blues society member.

Additional preliminary round competitions will be held at The Muddy Waters on Sunday, May 5 and Sunday, May 12. The participants at the May 5 round are Serious Business, Wheelhouse and the Mississippi Misfits. One band from each preliminary round will advance to the Blues Challenge finals, which will be held Friday, July 5 at 3 p.m. at the LeClaire Park Bandshell in Davenport during the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. The blues challenge will be a double elimination competition. Those bands that do not advance from the first two preliminary rounds have the opportunity to participate in the third preliminary round on Sunday, May 12 and play their way into the finals.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society has received a major grant from the Iowa Arts Council to help fund the 2012 Blues Festival as well as the MVBS Blues in the Schools residencies for 2012-2013. In addition, Humanities Iowa has granted the MVBS funds to help support the free workshops to be held in the Freight House across the tracks from LeClaire Park on June 30 and July 1.

The 28th annual Mississippi Valley Blues Festival takes place on June 29, June 30, and July 1 in Davenport's LeClaire Park. The event features 24 acts on two stages over three days. Advance tickets at only $12.50 per day until Thursday June 28 are available at Hy-Vee stores in the Quad Cities, Clinton, and Muscatine, as well as at the Muddy Waters in Bettendorf, Rascals in Moline, and Martinis on the rock in Rock Island.

This is the first time that the Blues Festival has been underwritten by support from the Iowa Arts Council and Humanities Iowa. The Humanities Iowa grant helps to fund the six free workshops associated with the festival. On Saturday, the workshops feature David Horwitz—Blues Photography, Donna Herula—Slide Guitar, and Doug MacLeod—National Resonator Slide Guitar. Sunday's workshops feature Paul Geremia—6 and 12-String Country Blues Guitar, Liz Mandeville—Women in the Blues, and Hawkeye Herman—Stories of the Blues.

Other major sponsors of the Blues Festival include the Riverboat Development Authority, KWQC-HD TV6, The River Cities' Reader, The Lodge, KALA Radio, and Alcoa.