The Wichita Blues Society exists to share the Blues with the world by preservation, education and enjoyment of the first truly American music form.

Education
Like The Blues Foundation, the WBS is committed to education so generations to come will be able to appreciate the rich Blues tradition. In a very tangible way, education relies on and encourages the other aspects of our mission. It is through the preservation and enjoyment of the Blues that we begin to educate others and perpetuate the Blues in Wichita and South-Central Kansas. The WBS is developing youth programs and partners with others in our community to inspire young people to carry on the rich blues tradition, as well as encourage an overall appreciation of music.

Events
From its inception, the Wichita Blues Society has been involved in the local Blues scene. Everyone can enjoy the Blues at the many WBS events held throughout the year that feature local and regional talents.

The WBS has three signature events each year that draw hundreds of blues fans. Our goal is to increase attendance at each one of our events by providing outstanding entertainment.

Our Spring and Fall Blues crawls have become a tradition for many blues lovers. Held in April and September, the crawls feature local bands playing in Old Town clubs in the area between 1st Street to Douglas and Washington to Rock Island Street. We end the night with an After Party that typically features a regional touring band. The 2011 Spring Crawl brought over 600 blues lovers to Old Town.

The Wichita Blues Society’s annual Blues Ball is a celebration of the blues and has been shakin’ the rafters at The Cotillion for more than 10 years. It is also our “send off” party for our Blues Challenge winners before they travel to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge. Nearly 700 people celebrated the blues at our 12th Annual Blues Ball in January 2011.