Two evenings filled with neo-soul, R&B, smooth jazz and world music are planned for the 6th Annual Bessie Smith Heritage Festival. The 2-day music festival will be held on Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11 at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center located at 200 E. Martin Luther King Boulevard in the heart of Chattanooga.

The Bessie Smith Heritage Festival will kick off on Saturday, August 10 at 7 pm with Neo-Soul and R&B Night featuring performances by Stokley Williams of 90’s R&B band, Mint Condition; neo-soul duo, Kindred the Family Soul; singers and songwriters, Tawanna Shaunte and Olamide Faison, and Chattanooga’s very own, Ogya.

And the music will continue through Sunday (starting at 6pm) with top-notch jazz artists performing an Evening of Jazz. The jazz night will include performances by renowned jazz violinist, Michael Ward; jazz guitarist, Eric Essix; Nashville’s jazz recording artist, Joe Johnson, and jazz trumpeter, Joey Sommerville. Sunday’s show will begin at 6 pm.

The daily general admission to the two-day music festival is $35 for an advance ticket and $40 at the door. Reserved tables are also available. Tickets may be purchased online at www.bessiesmithheritagefestival.com or at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center between the hours of 10 am – 5 pm (EST) Monday through Friday or on Saturday from noon to 4:00 pm (EST).