I’ll have a barbecue sandwich with a side of lively music and proceeds to a good cause, please.
The Blues and BBQ Festival drew a crowd of approximately 1,500 to Citizen’s Park in Edgewater for its 26th year of music on Saturday, July 15. The nonprofit event raised $30,000 for affordable housing initiatives in Denver, like Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, bringing the Blues and BBQ Foundation’s total to more than $500,000 in donations since its inception.
The event means a lot to Ranger Miller, the president of the foundation, combining his love for music with vital community service and a reunion with people he loves most.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but once it’s all set up and you’re walking around and having fun, it’s just a blast,” Miller said. “You don’t see all your friends every year, but they all come out to this.”
It all started for Miller in the ‘90s, when he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and felt incredibly inspired and productive. So, he and his garage band, Duke Street Kings, decided to put on a fundraiser show. They raised maybe $300, and created a tradition.
His sons now work the event with him and play in Duke Street Kings. Reflecting on their beginning feels surreal, Miller said.
“We’re sitting there looking out at the crowd with the band, and we’re like ‘we did this’, so it’s cool,” Miller said.
