The Budweiser Illinois Blues Festival is the official host for the "ROAD TO MEMPHIS" which is the official competition leading to the Blues Foundation's world famous INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE. Sponsored by the River City Blues Society, this is an opportunity for unsigned Illinois bands to compete for entry into the IBC with expenses paid by the River City Blues Society with help from a funding grant from the Illinois Blues Coalition. You'll be able to see all these bands and more compete at the 2014 Budwesier Illinois Blues Festival.

The Illinois Blues Coalition supports Blues Societies, Blues Music Entertainers and Blues Music Education by offering grants and scholarships to help fund projects which preserve and promote the history and future of blues music. The objective of the Illinois Blues Coalition is to promote the art form of blues-related music by performance, by interpretation, by preservation and by enhancement of appreciation through knowledge and education.