About

The New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival takes place on the third Saturday in January each year. 2018 will be the third year running and the festival continues to build on its reputation as the premier cigar box guitar event.

In the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, and in the streets and on the levees of New Orleans, improvised instruments were germane to the birth and early development of both the Jazz and Blues musical movements.

During the last quarter of the Twentieth Century, musically creative individuals became interested in reviving the art and craft of handmade stringed instruments. Spurred on by connectivity of the internet, participation in this Do-ItYourself movement increased greatly in the earliest years of the Twenty-First Century, and has now become a fullblown worldwide phenomenon. Specialized websites, groups, parts suppliers and festivals now permeate the landscapes of Europe and North America. The Cigar Box Guitar has risen to the upper levels of mainstream popular music to the extent that celebrities like Steven Segal, Johnny Depp and Sir Paul McCartney have jumped on the bandwagon.

The 3rd annual edition of the New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival will begin Wednesday, January 17th, spanning 4 days and 3 great venues. Internationally acclaimed singer/guitarist Samantha Fish, Blues legend Little Freddie King, and the acknowledged “King of the Cigar Box Guitar” Shane Speal lead the roster of musical artists from 8 states and Australia scheduled to perform. The full schedule of events and participants can be found at www.NewOrleansCBG.com.