The 5th annual Des Moines Rotary Blues & Brews Fest will be Saturday, Aug. 23

For the fifth year in a row – on Saturday, Aug. 23 – people from around Western Washington and beyond will be flocking to the shores of Puget Sound at the Des Moines Beach Park to savor tasty licks of mind-blowing blues played by some of the most renowned musicians of the region, all while sampling the suds of local micro-brew masters in a fundraiser aimed at arming children in the Highline School District with musical instruments. The Annual Blues & Brews Fest returns to Des Moines Beach Park from Noon – 8 p.m. on Aug. 23. The event benefits the Highline Music4Life Program. All of the net proceeds are donated to charity thanks to the efforts of the Des Moines Rotary Club and community volunteers. “This 21-and-over event, saw nearly 2,000 blues and beer lovers last year, and this year promises to draw an even bigger crowd,” Blues and Brews Fest committee chair and Des Moines Rotarian Brian Snure said. “The response to this annual fund raiser has been inspiring,” he added. “A lazy summer day on the shores of Puget Sound, drinking good beer and listening to the blues seems like a pretty good way to support music education in our schools.” This year, Blues & Brews Fest attendees can enjoy 17 micro-brews, three ciders, wine and some mead. The blues, from some of the Northwest’s finest musicians, will begin at 12:30 p.m. and keep rolling until 8 p.m. Snure said, “On behalf of the Rotary Club of Des Moines Washington, I’d like to thank all of those who have supported this civic event in the past and invite those who have yet to attend Blues & Brews Fest to get your tickets now at www.BluesAndBrewsFest.org.” This year’s line up includes: The Wired Band [youtube width=”500″ height=”344″]http://youtu.be/T4sF9tvgUb4[/youtube] James King and the Southsiders [youtube width=”500″ height=”344″]http://youtu.be/NoHv9RnXDSQ[/youtube] The Randy Oxford Band [youtube width=”500″ height=”344″]http://youtu.be/ZxVa8oXFCek[/youtube] Curtis Hammond Band [youtube width=”500″ height=”344″]http://youtu.be/ZQ3laGiVwDY[/youtube] Tickets for this pet-free event can be purchased online for just $25 or at the door for $30. Every Blues & Brews Fest attendee will receive six tokens and a complimentary tasting glass with the purchase of a ticket. Additional tokens can be purchased to sample more beverages. Designated driver tickets will be available at the door for just $15. Parking is free in the Des Moines Marina and around Des Moines, and a complimentary shuttle will be making the rounds. The prime benefactor for this annual fundraiser is the Highline Music4Life program. David Endicott, president/CEO of Music4Life, who said: “The value of providing musical instruments for students of low-income families in the Highline School District is critical during hard economic times. We find that many families cannot even afford to rent a musical instrument for their kids.” He added:

“The annual Des Moines Rotary Blues & Brews Festival is a primary way for us to raise funds in support of the Highline Schools program. It also happens to be an event that’s a heck of a lot of fun to attend.”

To purchase advanced tickets and more information, go to www.BluesAndBrewsFest.org. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, contact Kerry Wallingford at kerry@wallingfordfinancial.com. The Rotary Club of Des Moines encourages attendees to drink responsibly.]]>