The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Gives Back And You Can Get Involved
The power of music to gather, evoke emotion and send a message is undeniable. The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival is committed to partnering with and supporting causes and nonprofits local and national. For 2018 we’ve teamed up with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, Leave No Trace, Telluride’s One-to-One Mentoring Program, Telluride AIDS Benefit, the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program and the Telluride Blues Society to help with their causes while offering meaningful festival programing for attendees.
Music Maker Relief Foundation
Music Maker Relief Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded to preserve the musical traditions of the South by directly supporting the musicians who make it, ensuring their voices will not be silenced by poverty and time. Music Maker gives future generations access to their heritage through documentation and performance programs that build knowledge and appreciation of America’s musical traditions.
When festival organizer Steve Gumble from SBG Productions, met Music Makers’ Tim Duffy, the pair bonded over a shared appreciation of these musical traditions and of the Foundation’s mission. Gumble and Duffy first teamed up in 2015 to bring artists from the Music Maker roster to Telluride. These artists deliver genuine blues, gospel, soul sets giving festival attendees a rare look at traditional American music culture.
For this year, the festival will host multiple Music Maker Artists including, The Glorifying Vines Sisters, Pee Wee Hayes, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen. The festival will also produce a special Music Maker Fundraiser Dinner featuring a live performance, dinner from Top-Chef’s Eliza Gavin Thursday evening and is sold out. Throughout the festival the new Music Maker Drink House at the Blues Stage presented by Telluride Express will feature Music Maker art, records, artist meet and greets a photo booth and more - make sure to stop by!
Giveaway to support the Telluride Aids Benefit and One-to-One Mentoring
The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival and The Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation is raffling off, a pair of 3-Day Passes to the 2019 Telluride Jazz Festival, a signed guitar by Joe Bonamassa and a 7-day Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise October 26 through November 2 to benefit the local Telluride One to One Mentoring Program and The Telluride Aids Benefit. The Telluride One on One program empowers youth in San Miguel County to achieve their social, emotional and academic potential through professionally supported mentor relationships. The Telluride Aids Benefit Is a non-profit organization whose mission is to fight HIV/AIDS by heightening global and local awareness, as well as generating financial support for educational program and client care. Tickets will be at available at the Rhythm & Blues Cruise RV by the main festival entrance and are one ticket for $10 or three for $20.
Blisters & Blues 5K Fundraiser Race for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program
Blisters & Brews is a 5k Fundraiser Race on the morning of Saturday, September 15th, giving Festival patrons the opportunity to exercise before the Festival. The 5k Race, sponsored by BootDoctors™ Paragon Outdoors and presented by Telluride Blues Society, will raise money for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program in remembrance of dear festival friend Felix Snow.
Through registration fees, donations and the generous support of the Telluride community, we were honored to be able to raise over $1,500 for the Telluride Adaptive Ski Program in 2017. We're looking forward to another amazing year of support.
Registration is $40 ahead of time and $45 on-site with all race proceeds benefiting the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program. Don't want to run, but want to support? Non-athletic support donations are also available. Register and Learn More Below!
Leave No Trace - Coolest & Cleanest Campsite Challenge, Junior Festivarian Challenge and Membership Drive
The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics protects the outdoors by teaching people to enjoy it responsibly. It is the most widely accepted outdoor ethics program used on public lands. Through targeted education, research and outreach, the Center ensures the long-term health of our natural world.
Festival attendees can get involved with Leave No Trace by buying a Festival Green Ticket ($3), stopping by the Leave No Trace booth and purchasing a membership or getting involved with Coolest & Cleanest Campsite Challenge and Junior Festivarian Program. The “Making My Blues Green” Coolest & Cleanest Campsite Challenge gives campers a chance to green the campground-scene, participate in a fun theme contest, while signing-up for a chance to win festival swag and passes. The new Junior Festivarian Challenge gives kids a chance to complete five sustainability focused activities for a chance to win Leave No Trace swag. Sign up for both challenges at the Leave No Trace Booth.