Helena Comes Alive

" King Biscuit Festival kicks off with blues cruise. "

By Ross Gohlke

Ever on a quest to establish itself as the best blues festival in the nation, the King Biscuit Blues Festival, set to take place Oct. 12-15 in downtown Helena, Ark., was kicked off early with a cruise down the Mississippi River on Sept. 11.

The riverboat disembarked from Helena's landing around sunset on a temperate Wednesday evening. A gateway in the levee, whose grassy slope stretches 100 yards or more down one side of Helena's Main Street and provides seating for the main stage at festival time, led passengers to the riverboat landing where they were greeted by festival representatives before boarding.

The virtual desolation of Main Street on this typical weeknight - shops closed, streets empty - stood in stark contrast to the crowds, excitement and bustle which overwhelm the street during the festival. Even casual observation made it hard to ignore the signs that Helena, like most small Delta towns, is feeling the pains of a stagnant economy and decades of racial segregation.

But once beyond the levee, all indications of a small town struggling to maintain its integrity vanished. After boarding the brightly decorated, jam-packed riverboat, guests were treated to live blues by Mark Sallings and the Famous Unknowns, a cash bar and a complimentary barbecue spread enticing enough to turn a vegetarian into a carnivore.

The kickoff cruise was the festival committee's way of saying "thank you" to friends and supporters. It also provided local luminaries, including at least one political candidate, an opportunity to shake hands and slap backs. But most importantly, it was an excellent excuse to throw a first class party.

Nothing beats a twilight cruise down the Mississippi, when the weather is perfect, the blues is smokin' and food and drink are flowing. When the journey was over two hours after it had begun, faced with the long ride back to Memphis in casino traffic, I didn't want it to end.

The same folks who put together this cruise also put on the King Biscuit Blues Festival. They know how to throw a party that's fun for everyone. Because the event is still free, everyone is welcome. And because it's so carefully organized everyone generally has a good time. Helena is a town that knows what difficulties it faces. Lucky for blues fans, their approach to preservation comes in the form of the best blues festival anywhere. Don't miss it.