Chicago's iconic four-day Blues Festival returns, drawing massive crowd

CHICAGO - The world's largest Blues Festival is back in the Windy City! 

The weekend-long festival has captivated audiences for the last 40 years and with each passing summer, it gets bigger and better. 

The four-day festival began Thursday night at the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport while Blues musicians will hold court for the next three days in Millennium Park. 

It's expected to draw roughly 250,000 attendees, about half of whom are from out of state. 

Friday's main stage lineup includes Corey Harris, Mr. Sipp, and a centennial tribute to Jimmy Rogers featuring seven artists. 

"I always come to the Blues Festival, you know. It's part of the highlights for the summer for me to come here," said Henry Dickerson, a festivalgoer. 

"As a visitor, I have been overwhelmed with how great Chicago is," said Lynn Mimms, another festival attendee. 

The Blues Festival closes at 9 p.m. Friday night, but performances will resume Saturday at noon.