Michigan BluesFest started in 1994 under the name OctoberFest. The festival featured such renowned artists as Kid Rock, Marcy Playground, Duncan Sheik, Nineteen Wheels and local showstoppers such as Powerface, Knee Deep Shag, The Lash, and The Weepers.
For 2002, the festival committee decided to transform the fall music festival into Old Town BluesFest. In its early years, the festival brought out 2,000-3,000 people; now that has increased to over 7,000.