There was good music but relatively light turnout for the Junction City Blues Music Festival Friday and Saturday in Heritage Park.

Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Michelle Stimatze said Saturday night the bands were good. ” I think with all the activities going on within the state of Kansas today with no home football games I think that put a little damper on the people that came out.” Stimatze stated there was a decent crowd Saturday night but not where officials wanted it to be.

Stimatze estimated the turnout for the entire festival was in the range of about 250 people.

The festival was an attempt by the Geary County CVB to provide a jazz festival after the larger Jammin In JC festival was cancelled for this year. Whether it will return in the future is uncertain. Stimatze said, “We’re going to take a look at things and see what the future is going to hold with the Blues, and maybe come up with some solutions with a one-day event and see if we can’t keep this going.”

Stimatze doesn’t fundraising is the biggest challenge for a festival of this type. “I think a lot of it is getting people out and about and making sure that we have those crowds that we used to have. She estimated about 150 people were in attendance on Saturday night and approximately 75 people Friday evening.

The remainder of the weekend lineup in Junction City included Junction City Blue Jay football Friday night at Al Simpler Stadium, the Little Theater production of Beauty and the Beast Friday and Saturday nights plus another performance at 2 p.m. Sunday at the C.L. Hoover Opera House, and the annual Apple Day celebration at Fort Riley during the day on Saturday.