Speaker 1: 0:00

My guest today is Maria Chivas. Maria is the president for the Grand County Blues Society. We talk about this upcoming Blues from the Top Festival that's happening in June ticket prices, the lineup and so much more. So please sit back and enjoy my interview, maria. How? Are you?

Speaker 3: 0:37

Lovely Nice to see you, Gaylene. Thanks for inviting me.

Speaker 1: 0:40

Oh you bet. It's always my favorite time of year when we start talking about the Blues Festival.

Speaker 3: 0:46

I know it's right around the corner June 27th through the 29th, so a few more weeks of great preparation.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Absolutely so. What year is?

Speaker 3: 0:56

this. This is going to be our 23rd anniversary.

Speaker 1: 1:00

Your 23rd anniversary Doesn't seem possible, does it?

Speaker 3: 1:04

I know the time just keeps on flying, every moment.

Speaker 1: 1:09

So give me some history about the Blues Festival.

Speaker 3: 1:13

The Grand County Blues Society started off 23, actually 22, nope 23 years ago from our founder, john Katt, who was tired of driving around the nation for blues music and decided to bring it up here to Grand County so that way we could have great music right here in our backyard. So, pretty excited about that, john's no longer with us. So there was a group of us that continued the Grand County Blues Society to bring our programs up to Winter Park, including Blues from the Top Music Festival, which is a major, dare I say, a beneficiary to all of our events, which is Blues from the Top. Check out the music and our Blue Star Connection programs. Let's talk about Blues from the Top.

Speaker 1: 1:58

So that's June. What date again?

Speaker 3: 2:01

That's June. It starts June 27th, which is a Friday night. What date? Again that's June. It starts June 27th, which is a Friday night, the 28th during the day. And again that's Sunday, june 29th.

Speaker 1: 2:13

We have a pretty incredible lineup this year, so I'm pretty excited about that, yeah, so okay, let's go over the lineup All right.

Speaker 3: 2:17

So Friday, the 27th we have JJ Gray and Mo Fro and Sunny Landris. That gates open around four o'clock and the goes until roughly about 10 o'clock, so it's going to be a really awesome night show. So it'll be beautiful. We always have a great sound and light guy, so super stoked. So that'll be a really fun different show, especially since that it is at night. And then June 28th and 29th we're headlining is Little Feet and we followed by the Record Company Joanne Shaw-Taylor, dwayne Dobson and the Zydeco Hellraisers and a Denver blues artist, vince Converse and Big Brother. So that'll be a hot day for music.

Speaker 3: 2:58

Followed by Sunday, june 29th, is Chris Stone, kingfish Ingram Grammy nominated. Then we have Southern Avenue, which is also a Grammy nominee and winner, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Honey Island Swamp Band.

Speaker 1: 3:15

Oh, my word. How long do you guys have to work in advance to get some of these bands?

Speaker 3: 3:21

Pretty much we start in October. We start shaking the trees and seeing what's out there, pretty much starting in August.

Speaker 1: 3:29

So it's a process.

Speaker 3: 3:32

It is a good process, I want to say. Sometimes it's daunting but it's a lot of fun because there's so many great new musicians out there and then new artists that are looking forward to actually playing at Blues from the Top. So that actually I find to be very exciting because we have a lot of people knocking on a door wanting to play.

Speaker 1: 3:50

Yeah, that is it. That is pretty positive. So, maria, you said on Friday the gates open at 4, from 4 to 10.

Speaker 3: 3:57

What about Saturday and Sunday Both those days they open at 10 o'clock. Saturday is going to be our longest day and headliner doesn't go on until five, I believe, and then sunday um at four. So that way people can come and enjoy the show and if they want to get back home to the front range, wherever their landing is, they can head out early, have a great day of music and then head out early.

Speaker 1: 4:21

Yeah, and the event venue is located.

Speaker 3: 4:26

It's in downtown Winter Park at the Rendezvous Event Center, so it's convenient. There's lodging all around so you can walk in the morning from your hotel or whatever condo you're staying at and then you can just come on down to the music festival. And what are the ticket prices this year? Condo you're staying at and then you can just come on down to the music festival. And what are the ticket prices this year? They, you know they range between 80 to $200 if you get, you know, the VIP passes Okay.

Speaker 1: 4:52

So really, I mean that's pretty affordable for three days of music.

Speaker 3: 4:56

Yeah, it is, that's awesome and, like you, said, it's a great venue that people can walk, there's restaurants all around Winter Park, it's perfect. So what about the other programs that you guys, or the other program that you work with with the blues? Yes, check out the music that is our educational piece for Blues from the Top. And if you do come to the festival, you can get a little sample of it, because we have the Check Out the Music side stage where we feature not only upcoming artists but also youth musicians that really know how to bring fire to the festival.

Speaker 3: 5:37

Check Out the Music which is really neat is also in our school system. The music which is really neat is also in our school system. So we bring in local, regional and national artists in order to educate our Grand County youth about the history of music and even how to play music. And, on that note too, we bring instruments into our Grand County library systems where people can check out instruments like a book. So guitar, piano, ukuleles. It's actually a really neat program that people are on a dime budget that want to learn about music and learn how to play. We're here for you.

Speaker 1: 6:14

That's great. That's a really cool program and then you guys do things throughout the year at some of the local restaurant bars.

Speaker 3: 6:24

Yeah, currently one of our strongest partners is Devil's Craft, which is located in Cooper Creek Square, and they bring in. It's an excellent venue that bring all sorts of music, but including blues music or even blues and roots music. So even on the festival weekend they're going to have the night shows there. Right now, artists are yet are being determined, but it'll be there to be a lot of fun.

Speaker 1: 6:51

So that's great. Yeah, so people need to get their tickets. Where can they get more information and get tickets?

Speaker 3: 7:00

Yeah, just go to bluesfromthetoporg. Again, that's bluesfromthetoporg, and then they'll have information on the Grand County Blues Society. And again, we're a 50C3. Get tickets for the festival, learn about our different programs and even if you want to donate to our organization, there's a donation option there as well.

Speaker 1: 7:19

Oh, that's great. And, maria, what's your position now with the board?

Speaker 3: 7:24

I've been president probably for almost 10 years now, so still there, still happy beating my drums. That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 7:34

Well, you're doing a great job and it's a fun event and it kind of really kicks off the summer season.

Speaker 3: 7:40

Yeah, it does. I'm really excited for it. So we're here to set the ground for all the other music events, and if, though, of course, we'll never be any faulty in this with our event, but everybody will learn from what we do. So make all the other events in Grand County that much better.

Speaker 1: 7:56

Here's the pretty spectacular.

Speaker 3: 7:59

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 8:00

Tickets Get your tickets today and get your lodging set as well as soon as possible. Maria, thank you so much. It's always great seeing you.

Speaker 3: 8:09

Yeah, thanks, gaylene. I always appreciate you taking the time to work with us. You bet, take care, okay, bye-bye. Thank you.