• Photo by Mark Larson

Top names in blues, jazz, swing, zydeco, rockabilly and country are ready to raise the roof and bring the house down April 5-8 at venues throughout the city of Eureka. The Redwood Coast Music Festival, the swinging, rocking, stomping, toe-tapping and jumpin' music festival that turns our sleepy seaside town into a lively music and dance party, draws the very best performers year after year. And with performers like Roomful of Blues, Rusty Zinn and Little Charlie Baty, and Lisa Mann, this year is no exception.

A Taste of Main Street gets things rolling (and if you're not rolling before this sample-palooza, you will be after) Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. throughout Old Town and downtown Eureka ($25). Gorge ahead then grab your dancing shoes and hightail it over to the Adorni Center for the festival Kick off Dance from 7:30 to 10 p.m. ($10). Both events have separate pricing from the festival. For the rest of the fest, pick up an all-event wrist bracelet or shell out clams for individual events. You can find more information on ticket/pricing/schedule at www.rcmfest.org.

This year's special RCMF events include the Barn Burner-Western Swing Extravaganza Friday, April 6 at 6 p.m. at the Adorni Recreation Center, the uber-popular Dance Contests on Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Eureka Municipal Auditorium and Redwood Coast Blues shows happening both Friday and Saturday nights at the Muni, with doors opening at 4 p.m. If swing is more your thing, check out Saturday Night Swing Out, on Saturday, April 7 at 4:30 p.m. at the Sequoia Conference Center, with its sweet 1,800-square-foot floating maple dance floor. And the Festival Grand Finale Sunday April 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Muni.

If you're a little dollar shy but still have a dancing jones, the festival offers a slew of free events such as the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, April 6 at 1:30 p.m. at the Adorni Center, the Saturday Free Community Concerts on April 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Morris Graves Museum and Rhythm and Roots, featuring a bunch of local Americana and roots Americana bands doing their thing at venues from 5 to 8 p.m. throughout Old Town during Arts Alive! Plus, there's the rousing Community Gospel Concert featuring ArMack Jazz Band and Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir on April 8 at 10:30 a.m. at the Adorni Center and the festival After Party on April 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel.