REMINDER: The 2025 Poverty Bay Blues & Brews Fest – powered by the Rotary Club of Des Moines and Normandy Park – will bring great live music, craft beer and FUN to Des Moines Beach Park this Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025!

💯 And it’s all for a great cause, as 100% of proceeds from funds raised at Blues & Brews go on to power the causes supported by Rotary.

Craft Beer Lineup

The Poverty Bay Blues & Brews beer lineup has never been better, featuring dozens of craft beers from some of the Northwest’s best brewers, including:

Jellyfish Brewing
Four Generals Brewing
Acorn Brewing
Georgetown Brewing Co.
Stoup Brewing
Several cideries

Music Lineup

This year’s blues lineup includes performances by:

Hank Shreve Band
Alison Joy Williams
The Joel Astley Band
Hillstomp

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Hank Shreve Band

The Hank Shreve Band is known for their unique blend of blues and soulful originals, has garnered acclaim from the Cascade Blues Association. They clinched the Muddy Award for Best Regional Act in 2016, 2014, and 2013, building on their inaugural win for the Best New Act in 2012. Fronted by the multi talented Hank Shreve, whose musical journey began at the age of 8 with the harmonica. Hank’s mastery extends to vocals, keyboards, lap steel, dobro, guitar, and drums. He’s earned recognition such as the Northwest Harmonica Championship in 2008 and multiple Muddy Awards, including Best Harmonica in 2009 and 2013, along with the 2021 Rooster Blues Award of Best Male Vocalist. Hank’s performances have graced many renowned stages worldwide, from the Las Vegas Big Blues Bender to the Toronto Jazz Festival.

1:30 – 3 p.m.: Allison Joy Williams

Alison Joy Williams is an international chart topping Blues, Americana vocalist and songwriter. She has spent the better part of her life moving and touring around the world. She’s found herself in every kind of venue. From Festivals with over 5000 attendees to acoustic cafes Alison’s vocal style has a way of making you feel every note and word of her songs. Alison has performed across the US, Europe and entertained audiences in the Far East, Middle East and African continent. Notable venues include The Listening Room, Nashville, The Laboratorium, Germany, The Pheasantry, London, and The Royal Atlas, Morocco. “She’s got power, range and knows how to use them.” Peter Lauro, Keeping The Blues Alive award winning music critic and promoter.

3:30 – 5 p.m.: Joel Astley

We are pleased to welcome Joe Astly back to the Poverty Bay Blues and Brews Festival. Since forming his first band in 2014, Joel Astley quickly established himself as a world-class bandleader, harmonica player, singer, songwriter, and entertainer. In the past year he has been on a meteoric rise on the international Blues Music scene, joining Lee Oskar Harmonicas as a featured artist in 2023 and signing with Blue Heart Records to release his first album, Seattle to Greaseland. The album debuted August 18, 2023 at Number 7 on the Blues Billboard Top Ten, and met critical acclaim worldwide. He has a strong Pacific Northwest following, and has collected 23 Washington Blues Society’s “Best of the Blues” Awards in just seven years.

5:30 – 7 p.m.: Hillstomp

One of our favorite northwest bands returns for its second appearance at the Poverty Bay Blues Festival. HILLSTOMP is infamous for digging through the dumps and forgotten backwoods of American music, recycling traditional elements into a refreshing and distinctive brand of do-it-yourself hill country blues stomp. North Mississippi trance blues, a bit of Appalachia, and a dash of punkabilly come clanging and tumbling from assorted buckets, cans and BBQ lids, all drenched in rambunctious slide guitar. Hillstomp’s memorable live performances tap into a magic that cannot be rehearsed, converting outlaws and traditionalists alike from skeptics into preachers. Don’t miss this one!