Volunteer center helps Columbians attend Roots 'N Blues

Not everyone had to pay an admission fee last weekend.

By Trevor Eischen

Published Sept. 29, 2009

Columbia residents handed over admission money for the first time to get into the third annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival last weekend.

Columbia residents and visitors had to pay $15 for one night or $25 for both nights.

For its opening year, the Boone County National Bank sponsored the festival and paid for the costs to publicize the bank's 150th year in business. The following year, the city of Columbia and the Missouri Division of Tourism provided the funds. But this year, no major organization or business took charge to cover the entrance fee.

On Friday, festival spokeswoman Tara Hart said she didn't expect festival participant numbers to go down from last year.

"We anticipate that there will be a few less people this year," Hart said. "But we're also anxious and anticipating that there are going to be a lot of people who enjoyed the festival enough last year and they will see the entertainment value and will come down and buy a ticket."

Last year, the festival saw about 120,000 people. The police and Thumper Entertainment, which organized the festival, won't release this year's attendance numbers until sometime this week.

Thumper Entertainment advertised the option for residents to volunteer at the festival for one night and receive a free ticket for the other night.

"We have more than 750 volunteers that will be getting free access to the festival," Hart said.

In an effort to help those who could not afford the admission fee, the city handed the Voluntary Action Center 354 tickets they received from Thumper Entertainment for providing security for the festival. The remaining tickets were given to City Council members to disperse to those they thought fit to receive tickets.

The Voluntary Action Center, in turn, gave 20 of their tickets to the local Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri and 24 tickets to residents at Paquin Tower. The Voluntary Action Center received an additional six tickets from Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala. Executive Director Cindy Mustard at the VAC said the festival's entrance fee might have some impact on the total number of visitors to the festival, but overall the price is worth the admission.

The VAC placed a limit of four tickets per household. The VAC conducted no formal screening process to check whether residents were low-income, but Mustard said she and other volunteers recognize the regulars, and a screening process was unnecessary.

"We were just really pleased that the city was able to provide us with tickets to distribute," Mustard said.

Executive Director Georgalu Swoboda said the children and mentors at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri usually only get tickets for MU football games and theatrical performances, but the organization appreciates free tickets for any events.

"Anytime we get tickets for activities, we take them," Swoboda said. "And the kids love it anyways."