Sunflower Festival Event Photos

Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy visits childhood friends, Loria Tillis (left), Sunflower Festival main stage announcer Friday and Saturday nights, and Melvita Tillis Presley, festival chairman, during the 'Grits, Greens, and Barbecue' supper for sponsors that officially opens the three-day celebration.

Legendary bluesman Jimmy 'Duck' Holmes of Benoit is a top attraction at Saturday's acoustic stage at Ground Zero Blues Club.

Headlining the Friday night main stage, O.B. Buchana. a hometown favorite, draws thousands of fans.

Among the dozens of volunteers staging the 30th Annual Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival are the Sunflower Supremes who annually serve the 'Grits, Greens, and Barbecue' soul food supper honoring festival sponsors. Pictured are (from left, front row, Nancy Foley, Laura Mayfield; back row, from left Sandy Dezawan, Earless Anderson, Jen Waller, Sarah Crisler Ruskey, Eva Connell, Sandy Stauffer, Madge Ellis, and Georgianna Smith.

Sunflower Festival headliner Charlie Musselwhite (holding plaque) is awarded the Sunflower's highest blues accolade ‐ the Early Wright Blues Heritage Award in memory of the organization's spiritual leader, longtime WROX Radio broadcaster. Pictured with him during the award ceremony are representatives of the festival's primary sponsor HPI, LLP including from left Tom Levitz Sr., Mike Strathdee, Craig Marsh, Musselwhite, John Sherman, festival co-chair; Melvita Tillis Presley, festival chair; Martin Marsh of HPI, LLP; and Maie Smith, festival booking chairman.

Melvita Tillis Presley, Sunflower chairman, welcomes longtime family friend and global energy leader Hal Ponte to the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival. Ponte heads HPI, LLP, the festival's primary sponsor.

Winner of the prestigious Julius Guy Gospel Heritage Award for 2017 is Madge Harris (right) receiving the plaque from Maie Smith, Sunflower booking chairman.

Dynamic showman Nathaniel Kimble is a major draw in the Sunflower Festival's exceptionally large Friday night audience in downtown Clarksdale.

Blues fans expect the unexpected when Lucious Spiller is in the lineup, and Saturday is no exception when the bluesman shows up in 'pirate attire' to perform at the Sunflower's acoustic stage in Ground Zero Blues Club.