News Photo by Michael Gonzalez Attendees set up camping chairs to listen to bands perform songs at the Alpena Blues Festival at the Alpena County Fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon.

ALPENA — The Alpena Blues Coalition held the 19th annual Alpena Blues Festival at the Alpena County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

The festival featured five different bands throughout the 10-hour duration of the event, each able to perform for about two hours. According to coalition Secretary Randy MacAulay, all acts previously performed for the Blues Festival but wanted to return for a second act.

“That’s really important to us,” MacAulay said. “We love how they play and it’s great to know they love playing here.”

MacAulay plays the guitar and loves playing blues songs. When he went to the first Alpena Blues Festival in 2004, he decided to join the coalition as secretary in 2005.

And he’s not the only person who loves that genre of music. MacAulay said that every board member and volunteer that helps run the festival are just as devoted to the music as he is.

One volunteer that loves the blues is Lance Heitz. He lives in Presque Isle and has driven down to Alpena to help out for 10 to 15 years.

“When you look at the history of blues, it’s not the most sophisticated, but it’s rich,” Heitz said. “That’s what I love about the blues.”

MacAulay wanted to thank the community and its businesses who have helped to make the event happen. He said that “without you, we wouldn’t be here.”

According to MacAulay, the festival was able to happen from private donations alone.

The Alpena Blues Coalition uses the festival’s profits toward a project called Blues in the Schools, an idea of the coalition’s to bring blues bands into local schools to perform songs to students.

The festival also has a donation box for attendees to put food donations in. The coalition’s food drive, labeled Help Stamp Out Hunger with the Blues, brings canned food donations to food pantries around Northeast Michigan.

MacAulay said that the turnout was great and even at 4 p.m. he considered the festival a success. He also said next year’s 20th Blues Festival will happen.

“Blues is something that surrounds your soul,” MacAulay said. “Once you’re stuck in the blues, you’re trapped.

“Lucky for me,” he added, “I’m happily trapped.”