Thousands of people packed Helena this past weekend and many are praising the 23rd installment of the Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival as a success. While event organizers are still busy tallying the final numbers, estimates reflect that 83,000 people attended the festival. Average crowds ran approximately 35,000 on Friday while nearly 45,000 closed one of the largest free blues festivals on the planet Saturday night.
Rosie Swan, festival coordinator, says that the event seems to be a success although the Sonny Boy Blues Society isn’t through with the count.
“It’s a success-so far,” she said with a hoarse voice as SBBS gathered to finish the final paperwork Monday.
While the festival is near and dear to many and brings people from throughout the world to see their favorite blues artist perform, another aspect of the festival is just as important as the blues legends themselves-the volunteers.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” said Swan, “That’s how we keep it free.”
Each year, 250 to 300 volunteers give up their time manning Blues Bucks Booths, shuttle performers around, helping vendors, coordinating events, setting-up stages and even feeding other hungry volunteers who sometimes pull 12-hour shifts. Exhaustion is a given but no matter how tired they are, each volunteer T-Shirt clad Blues warrior always keep smiles on their faces.
Some are labeled the “Walking Dead,” and their job as the set-up crew is to do the heavy work.
Nate Butler of Hot Springs works the artists’ dressing rooms, attending to the smallest task with Jerry Pillow, Ray Galloway and Larry Grey, all local volunteers, nearby for security.
Scores of volunteers through the Friends of the Blues Club also work hard to ensure a smooth and enjoyable event. Beth Cobb comes from Wisconsin each year. Henri Bellows, from Boston, brings his accent and work ethics with him, staying in the Fox Glove Bed & Breakfast and talking East Coast politics with the locals, whom he enjoys visiting each fall.
Salena Meggs, of Fairfield, Ark., brought her 10-year-old son to help volunteer. He was fascinated with the golf carts and red-faced and sweaty from his efforts. While the list of the hundreds of volunteers is long, the Sonny Boy Blues Society is regarded as the heart and soul of the festival, working day in and day out in the heart of where it all happens, on Cherry St.
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Thousands of people packed Helena this past weekend and many are praising the 23rd installment of the Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival as a success. While event organizers are still busy tallying the final numbers, estimates reflect that 83,000 people attended the festival. Average crowds ran approximately 35,000 on Friday while nearly 45,000 closed one of the largest free blues festivals on the planet Saturday night.
Rosie Swan, festival coordinator, says that the event seems to be a success although the Sonny Boy Blues Society isn’t through with the count.
“It’s a success-so far,” she said with a hoarse voice as SBBS gathered to finish the final paperwork Monday.
While the festival is near and dear to many and brings people from throughout the world to see their favorite blues artist perform, another aspect of the festival is just as important as the blues legends themselves-the volunteers.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” said Swan, “That’s how we keep it free.”
Each year, 250 to 300 volunteers give up their time manning Blues Bucks Booths, shuttle performers around, helping vendors, coordinating events, setting-up stages and even feeding other hungry volunteers who sometimes pull 12-hour shifts. Exhaustion is a given but no matter how tired they are, each volunteer T-Shirt clad Blues warrior always keep smiles on their faces.
Some are labeled the “Walking Dead,” and their job as the set-up crew is to do the heavy work.
Nate Butler of Hot Springs works the artists’ dressing rooms, attending to the smallest task with Jerry Pillow, Ray Galloway and Larry Grey, all local volunteers, nearby for security.
Scores of volunteers through the Friends of the Blues Club also work hard to ensure a smooth and enjoyable event. Beth Cobb comes from Wisconsin each year. Henri Bellows, from Boston, brings his accent and work ethics with him, staying in the Fox Glove Bed & Breakfast and talking East Coast politics with the locals, whom he enjoys visiting each fall.
Salena Meggs, of Fairfield, Ark., brought her 10-year-old son to help volunteer. He was fascinated with the golf carts and red-faced and sweaty from his efforts. While the list of the hundreds of volunteers is long, the Sonny Boy Blues Society is regarded as the heart and soul of the festival, working day in and day out in the heart of where it all happens, on Cherry St.
