TRINIDADDIO BLUES FEST
with several blues acts; of which, the opening
performance is funded by the nonprofit CO
Blues Society.
trinidaddio.com
and
the event and formed the Board of Directors Both
trinidaddiobluesfest.com
work
to
inform
of Trinidaddio Blues Fest, Inc., a Colorado
the public about each year’s event, as well as
501(c)3 Charitable Corporation.
provide information about the Fest and the
Heeding the call of longtime fans and
Set up for the Saturday event begins on
dedicated supporters, members of the board of Wednesday by laying out where all of the tents Trinidad area and serve as venue for on-line
directors of the hard-working Colorado non- & booths will be located. On Thursday a crew ticket and merchandise sales.
After suspending the Fest early in
profit have been diligently planning details comes in to erect the large preferred seating
of the day long Fest to be held on Saturday, tent(s). The remaining layout is finished and 2012, the board of directors voted to move
August 27, 2016, at Central Park in Trinidad.
The Trinidaddio Blues Fest is Back!
The Trinidaddio Blues Fest is an
annual, day long, end-of-summer (Saturday of
the weekend before Labor Day), outdoor event.
First held in 1999 at the “Elm Street Station”
with an estimated attendance of 900, it grew to
1,500 in 2000 and the decision was made, with
the co-operation of the City of Trinidad (pop.
approx. 9,000) to move to its current venue
at Central Park. The festival quickly became
the largest single event in Trinidad, drawing as
many as 6,000 visitors to the community from
throughout the region, especially from along
the I-25 corridor from Denver to Albuquerque.
Over a three-day weekend, it brings hundreds
of thousands of tourism dollars into our local
economy.
The festival features at least eight
different musical acts throughout the day,
starting at noon with local talent and ending
after dark with internationally recognized
blues performers. The park is also filled with
vendors; arts & crafts, food & beverage (both
alcoholic and non-alcoholic), other non-profit
organizations, rides & entertainment for
children and several miscellaneous booths.
some of the temporary fencing is put in place.
On Friday the stage, lighting and sound crews
arrive and set up their equipment. Inmates
from the Trinidad Correctional Facility help
set up tables, chairs and the remaining tents
and fencing. Saturday morning any remaining
infrastructure is completed.
forward with a 2016 edition of the Trinidaddio
Blues Fest. According to Nancy Ellis, “While
the Trinidad business landscape has changed
dramatically during our 5 year hiatus, the
TBF board feels the time is right to restore
this economic engine that brought top notch
musical entertainment to huge crowds in
Sunday morning after the Fest, the inmates Trinidad for well over a decade, starting in
At its inception, the Trinidaddio return to help tear down and clean up the park.
1999!” As the Fest has traditionally been held
Blues Fest has operated in partnership with
on Saturday of the weekend before Labor Day,
The
Blues
Fest
is
funded
through
various local non-profits, ultimately with the
the date for the 2016 Trinidaddio Blues Fest
intention of eventually incorporating into its private and business donations, grants and by
will be Saturday, August 27.
volunteer
activities,
all
of
which
are
related
to
own entity. The charity or charities, received
the
single-day
event.
It
is
also
funded
by
ticket
In announcing plans for the 2016
all monies left after expenses were paid.
Eventually the festival became too big for sales both prior to the event and at the park Blues Fest, Jerry Campbell, board chairman,
the smaller organizations to operate, and in on the day of the fest. Additional funding is said “The non-profit decided to move forward
2006 a similar agreement was struck with the generated from vendor fees, bar sales and sale following indications of strong support from
numerous fans, city government and local
Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of of Trinidaddio merchandise.
Hundreds of volunteers are
Commerce.
Volunteers do all fundraising and businesses.
needed
to
put
on this event,” Campbell said,
In 2008 the festival was still growing, 100% of the activities are allocated to the festival
“and many previous volunteers have already
event
itself.
Since
becoming
a
stand-alone
even beyond expectations with over 150
indicated their commitment for the proposed
volunteers and approx 5,000 attendees, and 501(c)3, the Trinidaddio B