13th Annual Fishers Blues Fest
Fishers’ Labor Day weekend tradition is back August 30 + 31!
A Labor Day tradition in the Fishers community, this year’s festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, August 30 and 31.
For more than a decade, the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater has been host to local, regional, and world-renowned blues musicians annually. Fishers Blues Fest prides itself on being one of the most accessible blues festivals in the country. Admission is free, and no tickets are required. Free parking surrounds the venue, and the festival is an all-ages, all-abilities event. All are welcome.
Chairs blankets, and coolers are welcome with the exception of outside alcohol (Indiana Code 7.1-5-8-4). Vendors will be on site selling food, drinks, and alcohol.
Want to see announcements about Blues Fest and events at the NPD AMP? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
2025 LINEUP
Stay tuned! We’re putting the finishing touches on our lineup.
Night One
Ruthie Foster
Playing 8:30-10 p.m.
TBD
Danny Garwood
Tommy Baldwin
Night Two
D.K. Harrell
Playing 8:30-10 p.m.
Solomon Hicks
Gordon Bonham Blues Band
TBD
Listen Now
About the Artists
Ruthie Foster
Ruthie Foster’s musical journey is as eclectic and vibrant as her soulful voice. Born into a family steeped in gospel tradition, Ruthie’s earliest influences were the voices of her mother, grandmother, and the gospel singers she grew up listening to — artists like the Gospel Keynotes and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
She stood out as a young black girl with a guitar in a choir scene dominated by pianos, but with her grandmother’s vocal coaching and encouragement from her mother and the church community, she recognized her own power — as a songwriter, a musician, and as a captivating singer.
Now, with five Grammy nominations to her name, Ruthie Foster has achieved a long-awaited milestone: her very first Grammy win. Her latest album, Mileage, released on the legendary Sun Records, won Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards — a triumph not only for Foster, but also a historic first-ever Grammy win for Sun Records. With soulful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and unwavering commitment to her craft, Foster continues to carve out a path that is uniquely her own — inspiring audiences and fellow musicians alike.
D.K. Harrell
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter D.K. Harrell, one of the most formidable young stars of the current blues resurgence, sounds like no one else on the scene today. With his stinging, single-note string bending, deep soul vocals, and attention-grabbing original songs, the 27-year-old Harrell—a major draw at blues festivals around the world—is already in a league of his own.
Harrell was born D’Kieran Harrell in Ruston, Louisiana in 1998. He received his first guitar at 12, and by 16 was writing his own songs. In 2022 Harrell won the B.B. King Of The Blues Award for Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage from the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation. His debut album, The Right Man, was released on the Little Village label in 2023. His massive, immediate success led him to win the prestigious Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist from The Blues Foundation.
Now, with his Alligator Records debut album, Talkin’ Heavy, D.K. Harrell cements his place among the leading voices of the new generation of blues players. This Blues Music Award-winning guitarist with a soul man’s voice and a well-earned reputation as a mesmerizing live performer delivers fresh, emotion-packed blues informed by the tradition he loves and played with the foot-pounding fervor of a revival tent preacher. Using his expansive blues lexicon to create his own inimitable sound, Harrell is forging his own path with every performance he gives. With a future as limitless as his talent, D.K. Harrell will be welcoming new fans to his music for generations to come.
Connect With Us
Guests are strongly encouraged to follow the NPD AMP social media channels for the latest information on Blues Festival events. Follow @npdamp on Facebook and Instagram.
Know Before You Go
ADMISSION
- Tickets: No tickets or pre-registration are required for Blues Fest events. Admission is completely free.
- Gates + Show Time: Stay tuned! Gates and set times will be confirmed once we release the lineup for Blues Fest.
ACCESSIBILITY
- Parking: Accessible parking is located in the surface parking lot at 3 Municipal Drive, directly adjacent to the venue at the southeast edge. Overflow accessible parking is located in the Fishers Police Department parking garage at 4 Municipal Drive.
- Restrooms: Portable accessible restrooms will be available on both the east and west sides of the lawn, as well as in the Pavilion building at the south side of the venue.
- Seating: Accessible picnic-table seating is available at the back of the front lawn on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Sensory Bags + Assisted-Listening Devices: Sensory resource bags and assisted-listening devices are available for checkout at the ID check tent.
BAG POLICY + PROHIBITED ITEMS
- Bags: For this event, no bag restrictions are in place, but security will be on site.
- Chairs + Blankets: Chairs and blankets are permitted. We ask that guests please do not bring high-rise or high-back chairs. Space on the lawn is first-come, first-served.
- Prohibited Items
- weapons of any kind
- outside food, drinks, alcohol, coolers, hydration backpacks
- pets (service animals always welcome)
- air horns and noisemakers, fireworks, laser pens
- skateboards, scooters, bikes, strollers, wagons
- any illegal substance
- glass of any kind
- recording equipment or DSLR cameras (no flash photography)
FOOD + DRINK
- Food: Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted. Outside alcohol is NOT permitted due to Indiana excise laws. Food and beverage vendors will be on site.
WEATHER + SAFETY
More upcoming events:
