JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – After more than 30 years of blues music on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the Springing the Blues Festival in Jacksonville Beach has played its final note.
According to a news release, the festival’s Board of Directors voted to retire the festival. The vote comes just months after the 34th annual festival in April.
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The board came to a unanimous decision stating the core mission of the festival has now been accomplished. The festival’s founding mission was to celebrate traditional and contemporary blues music.
“This decision was reached with heavy hearts but an immense sense of pride,” said festival founder and executive director, Sam Veal, “We wanted to close this incredible chapter on a high note, celebrating the massive cultural and economic footprint we have left on Jacksonville Beach. We are endlessly grateful to our fans, artists, volunteers, and the City of Jacksonville Beach for making this dream possible for over 30+ years.”
The Springing the Blues Festival was founded in 1991 in Jacksonville Beach and was one of the largest and oldest blues music festival on the East Coast.
According to a news release, the board determined the festival had run its course due to rising operational costs, logistical shifts, and the evolving landscape of large-scale free events.
The festival’s legacy will continue through The Springing the Blues Foundation, Inc. and Jax Beach Festivals, Inc. Both organizations are announcing new plans in the coming months.
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