10,000 Blue Lights Shining in Ferndale

Visitors and residents in Ferndale will notice beginning this week thousands of blue lights shining across the downtown as the city gears up for its 8th Annual "Bud Light" Ferndale Blues Festival.
First held in 2002, the music festival has grown larger each year, and over the past few years a new tradition of lighting up the city in blue has taken hold. The city has blue spot lights on the "Crow's Nest" and on the Ferndale "Wall" at Woodward and Nine. The streetlights have also been strung with blue rope lighting. Dino's, Howe's Bayou, The New Way, Just for Us, and the DDA have all lit up their windows in blue lights and displays. And Como's has outshone everyone this year, with more than 2,000 blue lights around the popular restaurant and bar.

The festival starts Friday January 23 with seven concerts in seven venues downtown. All of the concerts are free, with donations requested at the door of Dino's and Club Bart. We simply ask that patrons throw a dollar or two in the blind blue piggy banks that will be passed around the crowds by volunteers.

The festival then continues for nine days and nights, and I hope to report on some of the stories and experiences that will take place among the twenty three locations holding concerts and other events.

For a complete line-up of the scheduled bands and venues, go to our web site at www.ferndalebluesfestival.org.

As the economy continues to deteriorate, let's remind ourselves that we can still celebrate the solid and timeless values of music, friendship, and community. Put on your warm coats and winter boots, and join us for the festival at your favorite restaurant or club.