MISSION STATEMENT - Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival

MISSION STATEMENT

The goal of the Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival is to bring all races together by means of a music festivity. Music is the common language that threads generations, cultures and social groups together. With the combination of community support and an appreciation of blues music, our effort impacts the community on a “grass roots” level in celebrating a thriving blues heritage while showcasing Kansas City’s finest blues musicians in grand style.

WHO, WHY, WHERE WE DO THE FESTIVAL

Welcome to the Ninth Annual Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival. The festival was started in 2000 to honor the cultural contributions of Kansas City’s rich blues and jazz heritage and the strong relationship between the musicians and the northeast neighborhood. As stated by many musicians, this northeast area was popular during the ‘40s through the ‘70s as a hotbed for the blues, with a little jazz mixed in, and this Kansas area was a cornerstone that fed 12th Street and Vine. This festival focuses on performers who were born, raised, lived in Kansas City, Kansas, or who played a significant number of years there. Most of the festival musicians have played in this community between 25 to 75 years! Some of the indigenous artists who have performed at the festival include Lawrence Wright, Jay McShann, Little Hatch, Myra Taylor, Ida McBeth, The Scamps, Linda Shell, Bobby Watson, Millage Gilbert, Cotton Candy, D.C. Bellamy, Sonny Kenner, King Alex and Danny Cox.

Last year, this festivity took place at 13^th & State Avenue, continuing the tradition of celebrating a thriving blues heritage in the northeast district of Kansas City, Kansas. As the festival proved to be a positive, thriving event for the community, this year’s gala will again be held at this location. The festival is a free two-day community event and is always celebrated on the last weekend of June. Our festival’s sole purpose is to present the artists with the greatest honor of heritage. Each year attendance continues to increase significantly and attract blues fans from around the world. It is a pleasure for the artists and the festival-goers alike to experience firsthand this down-to-earth blues celebration.

The variety of vendor booths continues to be a much anticipated attraction each year where vendors are friendly and reputable, and demonstrate a unique small-town fair atmosphere serving down-home, authentic dishes. It is our hope to continue promoting what a true street festival is all about and reminds us of what Kansas City is all about—unassuming, honest, real.