News Release

Festival to feature Delta Music Experience Louisana Pavilion                                        

PORTLAND, Ore., (June 17, 2008) — New Orleans Northwest? The Louisiana Pavilion at Portland’s 2008 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, July 3 through 6, can take you there.   

“Just as the New Orleans French Quarter sits on the banks of the Mississippi, festival visitors can enjoy the same riverfront blues experience along the banks of the Willamette River at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, says Amanda Gresham,” founder of Delta Music Experience (DME).

Enjoy the sights and sounds of New Orleans, purchase any remaining tickets for the festival’s DME Blues Cruises and learn about Delta Music Experience vacations at discounted Waterfront Blues festival prices.

The DME Louisiana Pavilion will also include:

• DME Back Porch Blues Breaks Stage, featuring 15 minute live blues performances during the breaks between sets on the A&E Front Porch Stage. 

• DME French Quarter Marketplace, bringing the New Orleans French Market to Portland, with beads, hats, shirts, boas, festive toys and more.

• Art Market, featuring New Orleans and Mississippi street art, including paintings, illustrations, photography, prints and more.

• Crescent City Crafts Corner, featuring face painting and crafts for all ages. Create your own Mardi-Gras mask, pinwheel, kite or puzzle for a small fee.

• Mississippi artist Stan Street, who will paint on site portraits with a southern flair.

• Satellite Festival Store, featuring official Waterfront Blues Festival merchandise.

• Louisiana and Gulf Coast visitor information to help blues fans plan trips to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

Gresham has helped sponsor DME Blues Cruises and hosted the Louisiana Pavilion at the festival for the past three and two years respectively.

“The Louisiana Pavilion brings a rich, cultural experience to Portland. We are delighted to welcome Amanda Gresham’s DME (Delta Music Experience) to the festival for the third year in a row,” says Clay Fuller, festival coordinator.

About Delta Music Experience (DME): The Louisiana Pavilion is just one of DME’s many efforts to promote Louisiana, the Mississippi Delta and, of course, blues music. DME offers experience trips especially for music lovers. In 2009, DME will host the next Real Deal Delta Experience Trips, “Discovering the Delta,” April 15 through 19, during the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Miss., and the “Big Easy Beat,” April 22 through 26, during Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Amanda Gresham launched Delta Music Experience in 2004. All of DME’s projects promote immersion experiences in the music, culture and cuisine of the Louisiana Delta. For details about DME events visit www.deltamusicexperience.com or call (504) 524-BLUE.

About Oregon Food Bank: Oregon Food Bank is a nonprofit, charitable organization. It is the hub of the Oregon Food Bank Network, a statewide network of 20 regional food banks and 919 hunger-relief agencies serving Oregon and Clark County, Wash.

About festival sponsors: The Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival is presented by First Tech Credit Union. Major sponsors include FedEx Freight, PacificSource Health Plans, iQ Credit Union, Daimler Truck Financial, Land Rover, The Oregonian A&E, KINK.fm and Travel Portland. Supporting sponsors include Burt’s Bees, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Miller Brewing Co., Henry Weinhard's, Deschutes Brewery, Beringer Wine, Snapple, Pepsi, Nutrisoda, Earth2o Water, Frito Lay Snacks, Yoshida Sauce, Mission Foods, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, NW Natural, FedEx Kinko’s, Impact Advertising, Edge Design, The Boeing Company, PGE, KBOO, OregonLive.com, Blues Revue, Music Millennium, Karolyn March, Guitar Center, Lions Foundation, Cascade Blues Association, Oregon Potters Association, Cascade Zydeco and Delta Music Experience.

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