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Red, white and blues

The Dunedin Wines the Blues Festival is Saturday. Guess which two things it features.

DUNEDIN - An ill wind doomed the unlucky 13th annual Dunedin Wines the Blues festival last year.

The effects of Hurricane Jeanne, which hit Florida in September 2004, drastically cut crowds and eventually led to the festival's cancellation after only two hours.

But Saturday's edition is ready to boogie the night away with a new date, a fresh feel and big ambitions.

"We always held the festival the last Saturday in September, but with the weather the last few years, we've moved it to the second Saturday in November," said Trina Cooney, co-owner of Flanagan's Irish Pub and president of the Dunedin Downtown Merchants Association, which sponsors the event.

"We figure it should be drier," Cooney said. Despite last year's hurricane hiccup, Dunedin Wines the Blues, a blend of wine and beer tastings and blues fest, has grown in popularity since 1992, drawing 25,000 to 30,000 people to downtown Main Street.

"It's always been a terrific showcase for the city," Cooney said. "People come from all over, hear great music, see our restaurants and shops, and realize what a wonderful place Dunedin is to live and visit."

This year, organizers forged an alliance with the Suncoast Blues Society on the entertainment lineup.

"We wanted to make the music more essential to the festival," said Travis Karuger, pub manager at the Dunedin Brewery & Snug Pub. His boss, Candy Bryant, heads the Downtown Merchants Association's festival committee.

It was Karuger who suggested contacting the Suncoast Blues Society.

"We realized it was a good fit for all us," Karuger said. "We get some of the best blues bands in the area, and that will help us grow the reputation of the event. Maybe someday down the road we can begin attracting big names in blues from all around the country."

This year's event will feature three bands. The Cotton Gin Blues Band, with guitarist John Allen, bass player Russ Knight and drummer Rik Kurts all contributing to vocals, is a popular Pinellas group that combines house, rock, electric and Delta blues.

The members of Charlie Vegas and the New Blues Combo, with Ed Centanni on sax, Moe Johnson on drums and Sam Currey on bass, are Tampa boys. Vegas plays guitar, wails on the harmonica and sings (sometimes shouts) what he calls a "space-age retro" blues mix that covers tunes like Just Like A Woman, T-Bone Boogie and Rocket.

"We play the music on the cusp," Vegas said. "Late '40s and early '50s blues, swing and early rock 'n' roll. And we often turn songs around, give a blues tune a swing beat or rock a swing song."

The Billy Norris Project features 17-year-old Billy Norris of Seminole, also known as the St. Petersburg Times' teen Xpress movie critic.

"Music is really my chosen path," said Norris, who is making noise as an up and coming singer-guitarist. With Tim Conwell on bass, Mike Bortz on drums and Jake Linder on keyboards, the group plays a mix of blues, jazz and a little bit of fusion, Norris said. "We improvise a lot."

The festival's other named feature is wine, which will flow. For $25, adults can purchase a VIP armband that entitles them to unlimited wine tastings. Beer, soda and water can also be purchased. Patrons must buy a $1 wristband to drink alcohol.

Food will help the liquid go down. A food court will be set up across from Pioneer Park. Several restaurants on Main Street, including Flanagan's Irish Pub and Casa Tina Mexican & Vegetarian Cuisine, will operate outside booths highlighting their international specialties.

Craft vendors will offer their works on Main Street. And an interestingly random addition for a blues-boppin', wine sippin' festival will be a nine-hole miniature golf course between Highland and Louden. "We like to have a little something for everybody to enjoy," Cooney said. "That's what downtown Dunedin is all about."

The 14th annual Dunedin Wines the Blues Festival will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Pioneer Park at Main Street and Douglas Avenue. Admission is free. Alcohol will be sold for a fee. An all-you-can-taste wine armband is $25. Free and paid parking available on nearby streets and church lots.