ANNAPOLIS, Md. — This year's Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will be the last.
For 24-years, the festival brought hundreds of bands to Sandy Point State Park.
During that time the festival raised more than $1.4 million for local charities.
In a Facebook post, the festival's founders wrote that there were a variety of reasons why the tradition would be coming to an end.
"Rising costs, declining attendance, loss of sponsorship, and other financial factors brought us to the point where profits were so small that our contributions to charity made little or no difference."
Throughout they say the audience remained loyal, attending rain or shine.
"One thing that didn't affect our decision was bad weather. Our audience always showed up no matter what. We figured that if they could pay to sit in the mud and rain and listen to music, we could work in it."
The festival is one that won't soon be forgotten, as it has become part of the lives of many.
"We feel we have had a positive impact on many lives, not just the charities that we have supported over the years, but also our audience. People have met their spouses there; Children who first attended with their parents are now bringing their children; lifelong friendship have been cemented and many, many memories have been made."
Some of music's biggest legends have performed at the festival in the past, including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and John Lee Hooker.
The final Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival is headlined by Joss Stone, and will be held May 21st and 22nd at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Tickets can be purchased here.
