Hot and cold running Blues

Thousands of Blues fans attended the 12th Annual Western Maryland Blues Fest over four days, starting at Hagerstown's University Plaza last Thursday, then two scorchingly hot days at the downtown festival grounds, and concluding today in steady rain at City Park. Verdict? Best yet! Of course, it was a sort of endurance test for fans and volunteers alike, with that much great music and that many changes in the weather. See the photos: thousands of fans pouring into the festival grounds; Nora Jean Baruso left the stage to sing to the crowd; event manager Karen Giffin smiled through the rain; a little water didn't deter the audience from coming to hear the Mary Ann Redmond Band in City Park. (Credit the first two photos to the Herald-Mail.)

What I find interesting about this is that the Blues Fest delivers an excellent musical experience to thousands of people. It gets better every year, with higher and higher artistic merit in every aspect of the festival. How does that happen? Well, it's gained a reputation as one of the best-planned music festivals around. Everything, from musicians to marketing to merchandise, children's activities to weather contingencies, educational workshops, fundraising, beer, lighting, sound, portable toilets, medical services. Every conceivable detail is painstakingly mapped out (literally) by a committee of 20-some ordinary people who are passionate about this music festival. Every year they challenge themselves to do it better than the year before. Then hundreds (and hundreds) of volunteers throw themselves into executing the plan. It's why Blues Revue calls this the best city-sponsored blues fest they know.

Lest we forget, none of this would happen without the complete and unswerving support of public officials in Hagerstown. That means everyone. Mayor and Council, city management and staff, the Washington County Public Schools, the the local Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Washington County Arts Council. As someone from Blues Revue commented, it's an instance of government really working for you.

Not everyone likes the Blues Fest. There are locals who call it a nuisance. Others say it's a waste of money. Some dismiss it as "Booze Fest." Obviously, I don't agree. But what do you think? Blues Fest: good thing, or bad thing?

I've logged about a kerjillion miles on foot (okay, maybe about 15 or 20 miles, but it was 90-some degrees) managing the gallery exhibition and the beverage (i.e. lots of beer) sales over the weekend, so I'm calling it quits for now. Until tomorrow, when we start really refining plans for the 13th Annual Western Maryland Blues Fest.