The Cisco Systems Bluesfest wrapped up in style on July 14
with Canada’s number one blues artist Colin James performing for an audience of 21,667 people. The nine-day Festival, which kicked off July 5, smashed last year’s record-breaking attendance of 140,000, and exceeded attendance projections of 160,000 people by attracting 200,000 people to Festival Plaza and Confederation Park.
"We worked hard to book the best lineup of musical talent this city has ever seen," said Mark Monahan, the executive director/artistic director of Cisco Systems Bluesfest.
The festival featured a wide range of artists
including Blue Rodeo, Melissa Etheridge, the Tragically Hip, Otis Rushm the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Lauryn Hill. "It was great to see women really stealing the spotlight everywhere," noted Monahan, "and our Canadian headliners Blue Rodeo, Colin James and the Hip attracted the biggest audiences of the festival."
