The Silver Spring Blues Festival – What It Is
 
The Silver Spring Blues Festival, which takes place in Downtown Silver Spring, attracts thousands of concertgoers from throughout the metropolitan area and grows each year.   Thanks to support from Montgomery Community Television, the festival is broadcast year-round on cable.

The inaugural Silver Spring Blues Festival in 2009 was produced by the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., in partnership with the DC Blues Society, Montgomery College, PFA Silver Spring LLC, Three Keys Music, the Silver Spring Regional Services Center, the Silver Spring Penguin and the Silver Spring Voice.

Youth participation has been integral to the Blues Festival performances and festival activities.  We have included youth-oriented performances, crafts activities led by Pyramid Atlantic, harmonica workshops held by nationally-recognized musicians, along with musical instrument petting zoos organized by the DC Blues Society and Dale Music.

The 2009 festival featured international bluesman "Memphis Gold" and his band, which included legendary harmonica player Charlie Sayles and popular vocalist Black Betty. Also performing were:  Three Chords and the Truth, a youth blues group; Silver Spring guitarist Jonny Grave; the DC Blues Society Band; and the Festival Battle of the Bands winner, Capital Blues Ensemble. WPFW radio personality Ida Campbell was the festival emcee.

The 2010 Silver Spring Blues Festival featured “The Nighthawks” as the headliners, and also included performances by Mary Shaver and the Smokin’ Polecats, Andy Poxon, Daryl Davis, Jonny Grave, and Choo Choo Charlie.

The 2011 Silver Spring Blues Festival featured the first ‘national’ performance with “The Kinsey Report” as the headliners, and also included performances by School of Rock, Gina DeSimone & the Moaners, Ida Campbell & the Blues Nation, Jonny Grave & the Tombstones, the DC Blues Society Band featuring Stacy Brooks, and the Big Boy Little Band.  New in 2011 was a new location at the Silver Spring Veterans Plaza that featured acoustic performances by the Archie Edwards Blues Ensemble, Ayaba Bey, Cooking with Gas, and the Social Ramble. 

The Silver Spring Blues Festival has potentially helped launch and promote some careers.   After performing independently at the 2010 Silver Spring Blues Festival, Andy Poxon (15 years old) performed with nationally-known bluesman Daryl Davis at the 2011 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival.  Memphis Gold performed at the renowned Chicago Blues Festival in 2011.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. – What It Is

 The Silver Spring Blues Festival is a project of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. The festival was founded in 2009 by Alan Bowser of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. and Jazs of the DC Blues Society.  

The Silver Spring Town Center Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been established to provide community-based programming for the new Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza located at the corner of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street in downtown Silver Spring.  Contributions and donations to the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. are eligible as charitable contributions under Federal law.

SSTCi is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.  Its current officers were elected in September 2012.  The officers are Brandon Felton, President, David Fogel, Vice President, Ethan Balis, Treasurer and Wand Whiteside, Secretary.

SSTCi is the result of community involvement and engagement to support the development of downtown Silver Spring. It was created to infuse community spirit and involvement in the new Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza.