Blues Event Will Go On at Doheny Beach

DANA POINT — Regardless of the confusion over two blues festivals bearing the same name, the show will go on for at least one blues event this weekend.

Organizers of the Orange County Blues Festival to be held at Doheny State Beach say recent news of the cancellation of a competing event in Heritage Park has caused hundreds of people to ask for refunds.

“People read that the blues festival was canceled, and they thought ours was canceled,” said Eric Jensen, event spokesman. “This year’s festival is going to be bigger and better” than last year’s Heritage Park show.

Jim Oakes, the organizer of the competing event, which also called itself the Orange County Blues Festival, recently confirmed the cancellation of his show in Heritage Park due to a scheduling conflict in use of the park.

Oakes and the organizers of this weekend’s Doheny State Beach show ran a well-attended blues festival in Heritage Park last year. However, the partners split acrimoniously afterward, accusing each other of financial misappropriation.

Both groups have filed lawsuits over the summer for the rights to the name “Orange County Blues Festival.” The cases are pending.

The Doheny State Beach festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Festival headliners will include former Stray Cat Brian Setzer, James Cotton and Maria Muldaur on Saturday. Topping the bill for Sunday’s show are John Mayall, Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Charlie Musselwhite.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event. VIP weekend tickets, which include discounted drinks and preferred seating, cost $25.

They may be purchased at Ticketmaster or by calling (714) 645-1999.