About Us

The roots of jug band music stretch back to Black communities in the American South in the early 20th century. Drawing on blues, ragtime, jazz, and other popular music of the era, early jug bands transformed everyday objects into instruments and created music that was accessible, rhythmic, humorous, and deeply connected to community. Many of the songs now associated with the tradition were recorded in the 1920s and 1930s by pioneering groups including the Memphis Jug Band and Whistler’s Jug Band.

The California Jug Band Festival celebrates both that history and the musicians keeping the tradition alive today. The festival community draws inspiration from the original jug band artists and  from the 1960s jug band revival associated with musicians such as Jim Kweskin, Geoff and Maria Muldaur, John Sebastian, and Jerry Garcia.

“The music has a fascinating history, but it’s not a museum piece,” said Marley Brezzo, treasurer of the California Jug Band Association. “These are songs that people are still excited to play, and the instruments still invite people in. You don’t have to be a virtuoso or own an expensive instrument to participate. That accessibility is part of what makes jug band music so special.”

Founded in San Francisco in 2002 by enthusiasts dedicated to fostering appreciation for the tradition, the California Jug Band Association has spent more than two decades bringing musicians and audiences together around jug band music. The annual festival was held for many years in Sutter Creek before moving to Dixon in 2021. After more than two decades on the road, the festival arrives in Petaluma for the first time this year.

“We love that this festival gives us a chance to see each other and reconnect with the larger jug band community in California,” said Mary McGown, secretary of the California Jug Band Association. “It’s a pretty unusual thing to have this much jug band music in one place, played by so many of the musicians who love this tradition. And then at the end of the day, everybody gets to play together.”