con·flu·ence
/ˈkänˌflo͞oəns,kənˈflo͞oəns/
noun
noun: confluence; plural noun: confluences
- the junction of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width."here at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers"
- an act or process of merging.

This year will be a "mini-festival" of sorts as we plan to make this an annual, multi-day event in 2026 featuring live music on several stages, along with vendors and lots of unique opportunities to see your favorite performers.

Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, Paducah is a mecca of creativity and we are so excited to introduce the inaugural Confluence Music Festival! We cannot wait to merge our community, different genres of music and create an opportunity for a confluence of experiences in downtown Paducah.

For our first year we will be featuring 4 acts in the Courtyard Theatre located off of Maiden Alley: The Hooten Hallers, Wheelwright, Dig Deep and Gina Caturano.

For the past eighteen years, The Hooten Hallers have been tearing up the road, blending blues, garage rock, country, punk, and jazz into a sound that's truly their own. The band's high-octane live shows must be experienced to be believed, with their raucous jams, tight vocal harmonies, and danceable grooves that make for a wild night and an unforgettable music experience.

Wheelwright brings a southwestern sound of pop and grunge from the sprawling desert city of Phoenix, AZ. None of his songs are idealistic. No light without darkness, no laughter without at least some suffering, no thoughtfulness without some recklessness. With devil may care spirit, and a message of hope, frustration, and love, Wheelwright’s music contrasts between worlds of wandering existentialism, the strife of modern relationships, and the shreds of hope that can be found in the darkest and most broken places of ourselves. Songs of acceptance, hard luck, and love without all the kumbaya bullshit, but rather the idea that we are all beautiful and flawed, stuck here together, whether we like it or not. His songs are self admitting and allow listeners to meet him where they truthfully are. It’s brash and it’s honest. In his words, “everybody has things about themselves that they don’t like, they have things that they would change about themselves, but they also have spirits, and hopes, and dreams and light inside of them despite the darkness that seems to hang over us as we march into the uncertainty of what’s next.”

Formed in 2015 in the dead center of the thriving Midwest roots music scene in Stevens Point, WI, the four members of Dig Deep drew inspiration from their shared appreciation for traditional bluegrass and country music, their love of rock and roll, and their combined decades of hard gigging in the punk/metal scenes, local bars and roadhouses, and regional festivals. Five releases and 1000+ shows later, they have firmly established themselves as an utterly unique and powerful force in the roots world.

Singer/songwriter Gina Caturano hails from Paducah, KY. As an up-and-coming artist, her sets blend the best that pop, rock, and country have to offer. Her powerhouse vocals can range from soulful to playful, all while maintaining a southern flair. She likes to describe her original sound as “Y’allternative Pop Rock,” citing inspirations like Paramore, Alanis Morrissette, and Taylor Swift.

This event will be a fundraiser for the newly formed Paducah Main Street. The City of Paducah has contracted with Paducah Downtown Development, Inc. to manage the Paducah Main Street program.
Paducah Downtown Development, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization established to operate the city’s Main Street program consistent with the national and State of Kentucky Main Street authorities and the directives of the City of Paducah. Paducah Main Street has an office at 227 Broadway in downtown Paducah.