Support Blues in the Schools, Cincy Blues Fest, cincyblues.org, and more!
The Cincy Blues Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Your donations are tax-deductible.
Blues in the Schools Program
The Cincy Blues Society created a “Blues in the Schools” program shortly after the Society was founded in 1990, to help keep the Blues alive for another generation, an integral part of the group’s mission.
The Society’s educational program, known as BITS, has two areas of focus: presentations by professional musicians and performances by young musicians learning to play the blues.
BITS offers a free one hour music presentation to school children on the history of the blues through words and music.
The “BITS Band” is composed of musicians, under 21 years of age, who enjoy the blues. They have performed at many festivals and events such as the Cincy Blues Fest. The BITS Band has also traveled to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN to participate in the Youth Showcase.
Cincy Blues Fest
The Blues Society was formed in 1990 by a group of blues aficionados to bring an outdoor summer blues festival to Cincinnati. We have over two decades of experience producing this festival. We’re proud of the many blues greats we’ve brought to Cincinnati, and how many of these “alumni” return to tour our area year after year. Thanks to the Cincy Blues Fest, Cincinnati is now on the blues map, instead of being bypassed, which means more great live music for you!
The 2020 Blues Fest was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19, but we will be back in 2021 with a great lineup at the beautiful Schmidlapp Event Lawn downtown on the river!
Cincy Blues Challenge
At this popular yearly event located at Germania Park, over twenty local bands give their best performances in front of a panel of judges and an enthusiastic audience. The top acts win a trip and entry into the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. The winners of the solo/duo and band categories also win performance slots at the Cincy Blues Fest.
This year’s event was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19 – we’ll be back in 2021!
Fall Blues Experience
Our members have been asking for another event like the Blues Challenge – a more intimate outdoor experience under a pavilion with good local bands. In 2019, we had the first successful Fall Blues Experience at the beautiful Donauschwaben facility in the Colerain area. A 2020 or 2021 version is in the works (depending on how things go with Covid-19).
Website
In this digital age, the main way you communicate with your audience is through your website, social media, and email list. It’s imperative to our mission to maintain a robust online presence.
We have a new section on our website with blues music education for children, adults, fans, and musicians.
With the advent of Covid-19, and the loss of live gigs, we’ve been helping musicians to live stream their performances and connect with their audience.
