Giving Hunger The Blues Music Festival

About Us

The 23rd Annual Giving Hunger the Blues music festival will take place at the Sarasota Polo Grounds on November 15 & 16, 2019. All proceeds benefit the Mayors Feed the Hungry Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A contribution to this all-volunteer program means your money goes to feed the hungry! All money collected stays in our communities and is used for food vouchers that are distributed throughout the year by local churches, civic groups and social services agencies.

Giving Hunger the Blues was founded by George Generoso out of concern that many Sarasota residents don’t have the financial means to participate in black ties events and galas, but who want to give back in a meaningful way. Giving Hunger the Blues began as an afternoon of music at the Five O’clock Club, and grew into the preeminent outdoor music festival in Sarasota each year. After re-launching the event in 2015, Peter Anderson is the event’s Chair and Producer.

Our event draws attendees primarily from Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Attendees also come from Desoto, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Because this is a family friendly event, we will entertain all ages, from school children to grandparents. The event consists of two days of live music with performances by local, regional and national acts performing in the serene and scenic confines of the beautiful Sarasota Polo Grounds.

There will be 15 food and beverage vendors on-site for the festival. Our marketing goal is to give sponsors an added marketing and advertising opportunity by providing a concentrated target market consisting of individuals and families from Sarasota County and surrounding areas. Our cultural goal is to highlight and celebrate our wealth of talented musicians while bringing attention to our mission to feed, protect and nurture the children in our communities. The financial goal is to support the Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program in their missions.

Media coverage will including TV and Radio throughout the market, plus interviews with artists and event representatives in local TV, radio and newspaper outlets. There will also be community calendar listings, public service announcements, print media articles and press releases, printed promotional materials (posters, fliers t-shirts, etc.), along with an intensive social media campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Additional social media ads are budgeted for the event.