Fans paid an poignant tribute to murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones before seeing their team struggle to overcome Mark Hughes' organised outfit.
A packed-to-the-rafters Goodison Park shook as a tide of applause swept through the ground in memory of the 11-year-old Toffees fanatic who was gunned down in a car park in Croxteth.
The game started slowly and it took Everton ten minutes to test Blackburn keeper Brad Freidel with a fiercely whipped free-kick by Mikel Arteta.
The Toffees then pressed forward in search of an opener as Andy Johnson and Alan Stubbs both went close with rasping drives.
But Blackburn silenced the noisy Goodison crowd on 15 minutes with a sucker-punch opening goal.
A hopeful prod into the danger area by Robbie Savage was met by an acrobatic overhead kick from Morten Gamst Pedersen, who saw his shot rebound off the crossbar and fall to Roque Santa Cruz to stab home.
The goal prompted a disjointed response from Everton and Hughes' men, who looked like adding to their tally as the half went on.
First Tim Howard made a great save to prevent a curling David Dunn shot after skilful work from the impressive Santa Cruz.
Then, on 28 minutes, the American keeper dived low to his feet to keep out a Benni McCarthy header from a whipped Pedersen free-kick.
But the home side should have equalised with ten minutes to go to half-time when Johnson headed a James McFadden cross straight at a Blackburn defender with Friedel nowhere.
The American keeper made amends on the stroke of half-time with a smart save which denied Arteta and ensured his side went in at the break ahead.
The opening period of the second half started slowly with both sides failing to conjure up any meaningful chances.
But the first golden opportunity fell to the home side on 60 minutes and it should have been the equaliser but substitute Phil Jagliekla headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Another chance went begging when Johnson and Leon Osman fell over each other's feet after Friedel pushed out debutant Leighton Baines' cross.
Everton looked sluggish against a slick Rovers team who looked far more likely to break into the Premier League's top four this season.
But with 12 minutes remaining David Moyes' side struck an unlikely leveller when McFadden met a curling Arteta cross with a crisp volley that sneaked inside the near post past a diving Friedel.
Blackburn nearly snatched it at the death when Bentley's dangerous free-kick was met by Jason Roberts, but Friedel tipped his header onto the bar.