by Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

The success of last year's inaugural Kent Blues Fest brings two nights of live blues bands back to downtown Kent July 23 and 24.

The event is similar to the wildly successful Kent State Folk Festival, which has been around for more than 40 years. And the blues fest is based on the folk festival's biggest night, the Folk Alley 'Round Town, which puts live bands in some cases within arms reach of patrons at more than 30 bars, restaurants and churches throughout Kent.

Bob Burford, a staff member at 89.7 FM WKSU and a member of Kent State University's marketing staff, is organizing the Kent Blues Fest.

Burford said he understands why people compare the blues fest to the folk festival.

"Especially with the Friday night lineup we have for the blues fest," Burford said. "It is modeled after the folk festival, and it actually grew out of some discussions after the folk festival of 2008."

For the Kent Blues Fest, 12 different venues -- primarily bars and restaurants downtown -- will offer live blues bands Friday, July 23. The kick-off concert, featuring Colin Dussault's Blues Project, will take place at Home Savings Plaza, and the closing show Saturday night will feature the James Cotton Blues Band and Guy Davis at The Kent Stage.

Burford said close to 300 people packed the outdoor plaza last year for the first show.

Organizers expected last year's event to be a one-hit wonder.

"We were blown away in our first year by the response," Burford said. "It was just really remarkable. We didn't have plans to make it an every year thing. The response was so overwhelming we figured we'd better do it again."

The festival is fortunate to have a few large supporters. Among the blues fest sponsors are Akron General, Sheetz, PARTA, Apollo Heating and Cooling and Hungry Howie's.

The majority of the festival's expenses are marketing, but funding support must continue for the festival to become an annual event, Burford said.

"We hope it will be just as well received if not better this year," he said. "And we're hoping it will continue."

A complete schedule and artists' line-up is available online at www.kentbluesfest.com.

The festival also could see a boost in attendance numbers on Saturday. Main Street Kent is hosting its Art and Wine Rewind throughout the day Saturday after rain and threat of tornados canceled the 4th Annual Kent Masterpieces on Main Art and Wine Festival on June 5.

The six wineries and several musicians who took part in the first event will return for the rewind, which will be centered in Home Savings Plaza but also will close a portion of North Water Street.

Main Street Kent Executive Director Mary Gilbert said both events are taking advantage of combined promotional efforts.

"We're not going to combine them officially," she said.