Destination Blues began as an annual music festival taking place in multiple venues in Columbia and Montour Counties, sponsored by the county commissioners.  The event existed to promote our area to visitors and boost business at our hotels and restaurants at a slow time of year (late winter).  In the beginning, The Exchange worked with Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc., to produce the Destination Blues Music Festival; after 2016, The Exchange took on full responsibility.

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Very quickly, The Exchange expanded the music's reach by undertaking the "Backstage Pass to the Blues" program, bringing world-class musicians into area schools.  And in 2017, we started the Listening Room series -- monthly "house concerts" in the Exchange Gallery on Main Street in Bloomsburg.

 

Our region's residents have supported the Blues for years -- look at the success of the Billtown and Briggs Farm festivals.  It more closely meets The Exchange's mission to bring the Blues to our friends and neighbors, so we have put our own Festival on hiatus so we can concentrate on bringing music to more places in our community: The Exchange turns 10 years old in 2020, and we will celebrate all year long with a concert series in multiple locations -- Benton, Berwick, Bloomsburg, Catawissa, and Danville.  For information, click here.

 

And of course we will continue with the Listening Room and "Backstage Pass" -- as our mission says, bringing the arts to all communities throughout our region.  We look forward to seeing you!.