KEEP THE HERITAGE MUSIC BLUESFEST ALIVE
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KEEP THE HERITAGE MUSIC BLUESFEST ALIVE
Twenty years ago the Heritage Music Blues Festival began when Bruce Wheeler envisioned a Blues music festival in the newly constructed waterfront park on the bank of the Ohio River in downtown Wheeling. The goal was to bring Blues lovers to Wheeling to fuel the economic engine of the Heritage Port. The first event in the history of the Heritage Port, the BluesFest, paved the way for numerous other events throughout the summer, with the BluesFest being the highlight of the summer event season.
During the event, you can find his immediate family and their friends, providing the needed volunteer staffing of the event. That “Blues Family” atmosphere spills over to the audience members who travel to Wheeling, WV, from 25 states and four countries each year on the second weekend of August.
In 2010, Bruce Wheeler & family were honored to receive the KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARD for BEST FESTIVAL. The Blues Foundation presents the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Blues world. The KBAs are awarded exclusively to non-performers based strictly on merit and selected by a panel of Blues professionals.
Although a labor of love for Wheeler, developing the festival to what it is today has not been easy financially. Bruce Wheeler initially funded the festival by cashing in his retirement fund and then he continued to provide funding by taking on additional debt and utilizing the yearly advance ticket sales to reduce the debt and to pay the ongoing bills of the festival.
Two major events of 2020 have put the future of the festival in a dire position. In February, Bruce was informed, by the WSO board of directors, that his “day” job as the Executive Director of the Wheeling Symphony was ending. And secondly of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the cancellation of this year’s 20th annual event.
The loss of this year’s festival revenue and sponsorships has put the future of the Heritage Music BluesFest in grave jeopardy.
We humbly ask for your support. If you’re in a position to support us, your donations will help reduce the accumulated debt of the event and hopefully put it on track for 2021, and beyond. If you could let others know about this campaign, we would appreciate that as well.
Please help keep Bruce Wheeler’s 20-year labor of love alive.
KEEP THE BLUES & THE HERITAGE MUSIC BLUESFEST ALIVE, so that we may welcome our extended “Blues Family” to Wheeling’s Heritage Port for our annual Blues gathering in 2021.
Twenty years ago the Heritage Music Blues Festival began when Bruce Wheeler envisioned a Blues music festival in the newly constructed waterfront park on the bank of the Ohio River in downtown Wheeling. The goal was to bring Blues lovers to Wheeling to fuel the economic engine of the Heritage Port. The first event in the history of the Heritage Port, the BluesFest, paved the way for numerous other events throughout the summer, with the BluesFest being the highlight of the summer event season.
During the event, you can find his immediate family and their friends, providing the needed volunteer staffing of the event. That “Blues Family” atmosphere spills over to the audience members who travel to Wheeling, WV, from 25 states and four countries each year on the second weekend of August.
In 2010, Bruce Wheeler & family were honored to receive the KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARD for BEST FESTIVAL. The Blues Foundation presents the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Blues world. The KBAs are awarded exclusively to non-performers based strictly on merit and selected by a panel of Blues professionals.
Although a labor of love for Wheeler, developing the festival to what it is today has not been easy financially. Bruce Wheeler initially funded the festival by cashing in his retirement fund and then he continued to provide funding by taking on additional debt and utilizing the yearly advance ticket sales to reduce the debt and to pay the ongoing bills of the festival.
Two major events of 2020 have put the future of the festival in a dire position. In February, Bruce was informed, by the WSO board of directors, that his “day” job as the Executive Director of the Wheeling Symphony was ending. And secondly of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the cancellation of this year’s 20th annual event.
The loss of this year’s festival revenue and sponsorships has put the future of the Heritage Music BluesFest in grave jeopardy.
We humbly ask for your support. If you’re in a position to support us, your donations will help reduce the accumulated debt of the event and hopefully put it on track for 2021, and beyond. If you could let others know about this campaign, we would appreciate that as well.
Please help keep Bruce Wheeler’s 20-year labor of love alive.
KEEP THE BLUES & THE HERITAGE MUSIC BLUESFEST ALIVE, so that we may welcome our extended “Blues Family” to Wheeling’s Heritage Port for our annual Blues gathering in 2021.
Organizer
Bruce A. Wheeler
Organizer
Wheeling, WV