The Rae Gordon Band, noted as one of the most popular and energetic large blues ensembles in the Northwest, will headline the OctoberFest Blues Revue.

Gritty, groovy blues music and the congenial outdoor venue of Walkabout Brewing Company will converge in Medford for the upcoming OctoberFest Blues Revue, organized by the Rogue Blues Society.

Returning from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, the event is headlined by the Rae Gordon Band of Portland. Gates open at 1 p.m.

The Eugene-based Hank Shreve Band and two local groups — The Bill Scholer Band and Rogue Rage Duo — will round out the revue for a music-filled afternoon accompanied by brews and fresh food from Walkabout.

Set in the brewery’s “Outback” event space, attendees will have plenty of room to bring blankets, lawn chairs and bust out the dance moves. The brewery will have plenty of beer on tap, ranging from Worker’s Pale Ale to Platypus Porter to Jabberwocky Strong Ale.

“I enjoy live music and being able to hire and help some of the local musicians and bringing in musicians that people might not have heard,” said Linda Huffman, president of the Blues Society.

The Rae Gordon Band will bring big-time sound with a mix of vital blues instruments like the guitar, drums and bass guitar backed by saxophone, trumpet and other horn instruments.

They’re a seven-piece band and scored third place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, Huffman said.

The Hank Shreve Band will bring high-energy blues to listeners through frontman Hank Shreve’s masterful harmonica sounds, said Bruce Borgerson, a board member with the Blues Society. 

“Hank Shreve is a multi-instrument and a harmonica wizard, so I’m sure he will be popular,” Borgerson said.

Local act The Bill Scholer Band will bring its Miles Davis-inspired sound to the party.

“He lives in Talent and had been a guitar instructor at one time at Folsom (State) Prison,” Huffman said of Scholer.

Rounding out the performances will be Medford’s Rogue Rage Duo, offering a blend of country blues and Delta blues to captivate the audience.

“It’s just a relaxed, good time; it’s an easygoing, bring-your-friends type of festival,” Borgerson said. “Everyone’s welcome, and kids are welcome.”

Tickets cost $25 apiece for Rogue Blues Society members and $30 for nonmembers, available at rogueblues.org/tickets. Kids younger than 10 can get in free.

Walkabout Brewing Company is located at 921 Mason Way, Medford. Parking is free and outside food or beverages are not permitted.

Previously known as the Ashland Blues Society, the Rogue Blues Society has been around since 2008 and hosted the OctoberFest Blues Revue in the past, but organizers aren’t exactly sure how long it’s been going on.

“It’s been going on for years, at least five years,” Borgerson said of the event. “What’s not to like?”

Last year’s revue was hosted at Plaisance Ranch in the Applegate Valley for the first time after the coronavirus pandemic, and event coordinators hope the new locale will bring in a larger crowd.

“It was quite successful, but a little bit remote,” Borgerson said of the Williams-based venue. “This year, we decided to make it easier to get to, and that was one of the main reasons we chose a space that’s easily accessible with Walkabout.”

“It’s easy to get to, there’s lots of parking, open space with grass and trees and no neighbors to complain,” he added.

To learn more about the Rogue Blues Society and its upcoming events, visit rogueblues.org.