24th annual “Blues of the Bridge” celebrates generations of blues music in the Southern Tier

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WBNG) -- If the Allman Brothers, the Rolling Stones, and ZZ Top are your thing, then Blues on the Bridge is definitely for you. Since 2001, the all-day concert has been bringing the sweet sound of blues music to South Washington Street.

“We got young people, we got old people,” said Donny Wilkins, the creator of the festival. “We’re basically trying to hit as many styles as we can through the day of good musicians playing good music.”

Started by Wilkins and Tommy Martinos, the group wanted to help bring the music scene back to prominence in Binghatom, one band at a time.

“The whole thing is fun,” Wilkins told 12 News. “It just got bigger and bigger and bigger, and I said, ‘Tommy, we’re turning this thing into a monster,’ and he goes, ‘I know,’ so here we are.”

In July, Martinos suffered a stroke and was unable to make it to this year’s festival as he recovers. His niece, Ashley Emmons, who has attended the festival since she was a kid, has seen it grow throughout the years.

“I’ve had so many people tell me that it’s brought the musical world and the musical community back into Binghamton,” said Emmons. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I think it’s just grown that musical community.”

Wilkins told 12 News that the festival has taken on a life of its own.

“It’s an animal. It’s like a virus that grows on its own. It’s amazing.”

With eight different bands playing from 12:00 PM until 10:00 PM, all kinds of food, and vendors, the festival certainly features a little something for everyone to enjoy.

For more information on Tommy Martinos and his road to recovery and how to help, check out their GoFundMe.